English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News &
Editorials
For September 03/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2026/english.september03.26.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
If you show partiality, you commit sin and are
convicted by the law as transgressors.
Letter of James 02/01-13/:"My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts
of favouritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person
with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor
person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing
the fine clothes and say, ‘Have a seat here, please’, while to the one who is
poor you say, ‘Stand there’, or, ‘Sit at my feet’, have you not made
distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my
beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be
rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who
love him? But you have dishonoured the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you?
Is it not they who drag you into court? Is it not they who blaspheme the
excellent name that was invoked over you? You do well if you really fulfil the
royal law according to the scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbour as
yourself.’ But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the
law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has
become accountable for all of it. For the one who said, ‘You shall not commit
adultery’, also said, ‘You shall not murder.’ Now if you do not commit adultery
but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so
act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgement will be
without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgement.
Titles For The English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News &
Editorials published on September 02-03/2026
Tarek Mitri, an Enemy of Lebanon and the
Lebanese, Still Living the Lie and Charade of Nasserist and Arafatist
“Resistance”/Elias Bejjani/September 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
Governance is an honor/Abu Arz/Facebook/September 2
Will the eighth round of Lebanon-Israel talks be postponed?
The Bashir Gemayel Foundation Calls for Participation in Commemorating the 44th
Anniversary of His Martyrdom and that of His Companions
Abu Kassam: Talk of Patriarch Rai's Resignation is Baseless
Hajj Hassan: We are not ashamed or embarrassed; rather, we are proud to be
allies of Iran.
Will the Iran-US war spill over into Lebanon? Israel Provokes Hezbollah and
Opens the “Ali Taher” Front
Maronite Bishops: To Agree on an International Force to Replace UNIFIL
Awaited Meeting Between Rubio and Salam in Late September: Strong US Involvement
in Lebanese-Israeli Talks Despite Tensions with Iran
A Tense Night in Ali al-Taher: Hezbollah Launches Two Explosive-Laden Drones,
and the Israeli Army Responds with Airstrikes on Nabatieh
Will the eighth round of Lebanon-Israel talks be postponed?
The "Good Loan" is buried under the rubble... An Israeli myth for propaganda or
a reality hidden by the field evacuation?
After a tight siege, Israel announces the death and escape of most Hezbollah
fighters in Ali al-Taher.
Explosions and heavy airstrikes rock Nabatieh; Israeli army: We attacked
Hezbollah infrastructure in response to its launching of two drones at our
soldiers
Complex and Intricate: The Indictment in the Port Explosion Case Expected Soon
US Source: Washington Suspects Lebanese Security Personnel of Facilitating
Revolutionary Guard Movements
Lebanon Dismantles Network Smuggling Fighters from Syria for Hezbollah Training
Iran in Lebanon/Colonel Charbel Barakat/September 02/2026
Nabih Berri and the Vanished Lebanese State/Makram Rabah/Now Lebanon/September
02/2026
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News
published on September 02-03/2026
US ambassador to Lebanon travels to
Israel to meet Netanyahu
Lebanon Central Bank says new audit to scrutinize transactions for graft
Trump says renewed US campaign against Iran won’t last long
Iran’s rial drops to new low of 2.2 million to the dollar
US military says it completed latest wave of strikes on Iran
US eyes airlines, digital assets as Iran-related targets, Bessent says
Trump floats renaming Strait of Hormuz as ‘Trump Strait
Netanyahu: We Will Topple the Iranian Regime… All Our Agencies Are Working
Towards That
With Iranian support, the Houthis pave the way for their son's succession and
the elimination of opponents.
Uncertainty surrounds Iran's nuclear program: IAEA unaware of the status of the
Isfahan facility
CENTCOM: We Diverted 86 Ships in Iran Blockade / US Forces Disabled 3 and
Boarded 2 to Ensure Compliance
Trump Links Putin Meeting to Readiness for Ukraine Peace Deal
Paris Accuses Moscow of 'Hybrid Attacks' and Threatens Sanctions / Paris
Declares Solidarity with Berlin and Accuses Moscow of Escalation Threatening
European Security
Israel Releases Footage of Destruction of a Kilometer-Long Tunnel in Gaza
Saudi Arabia condemns Iran’s targeting of vessel, attacks on neighbors
Saudi shipping carrier confirms security incident in Strait of Hormuz, two
killed
Xi says China willing to work with Mideast countries to ‘safeguard’ shipping:
State media
Ahead of Trump Summit: Xi Jinping Maintains Distance from Iranian President
Biden-appointed US judge blocks Trump’s newest order limiting birthright
citizenship
Chevron, ENI sign major Venezuela deals
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials
from miscellaneous sources published
on September 02-03/2026
Israel-Turkey backchannel dries up;
Erdogan turns up heat on Greece: ‘They would hear us’/Itamar Eichner/Ynet
News/September 02/2026
Canada gave contracts to Iran VP’s son while investigating role in regime
missile program/Stewart Bell Global News Global News/September 02/2026
Iranian-backed militia in Iraq sets ‘conditions’ for disarmament/Seth J.
Frantzman/FDD's Long War Journal/September 01/2026 |
The Axis of Aggressors Is Getting Ready for War. Is America?/Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This
Is Beirut/September 01/2026
Treasury Sanctioned Palestinian Terror Group Masar Badil. Its Allies Should Be
the Next Targets./Ryan Wohl and Brandy Shufutinsky/Policy Brief/September
01/2026
The Gulf Muslim Brotherhood: Which State Do They Want?/Sawsan Al-Shaer/Al-Bayan/September
2, 2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets on September 02/2026
Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on September 02-03/2026
Tarek Mitri, an Enemy of Lebanon and
the Lebanese, Still Living the Lie and Charade of Nasserist and Arafatist
“Resistance”
Elias Bejjani/September 02/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/09/157154/
Tarek Mitri is an enemy of Lebanon. His loyalties, inclinations, positions,
and outdated culture are Palestinian, Iranian, and Nasserist in nature. He stood
with Arafat and the Palestinian militias, then shifted his stance toward the
Assad regime, and now clings to the Iranian camp and Hezbollah in Lebanon. He
remains stuck in the past and oblivious to the changes of the times.
He is still living the theatrical lie of “resistance” and “liberation,” and the
fantasy of throwing Israel into the sea. He is still the same man of Fouad
Siniora, and as a Lebanese, he has no real connection to Lebanon. Whoever
appointed him a minister should be held accountable. Indeed, this is an age of
misery, thugs, and mercenaries. What a cursed era.
Among the latest outrageous statements made by Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri,
he said with complete audacity and shamelessness (video link below):
“Hezbollah is Lebanese. If Iran supports it, that does not mean it ceases to be
Lebanese.”
https://x.com/waqa2e3/status/2094760046034874603/video/1
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.
Governance is an honor
Abu Arz/Facebook/September 2 (Google translation from
Arabic)
Lebanon has reached a state of complete decay, an unprecedented collapse of
moral, political, and social values… and the state, or what is called a state,
is absent, oblivious, and complicit! The monster of inflation continues to
devour struggling families, the salaries of employees, and those with limited
incomes… and people are asking: Where are the government institutions to monitor
prices, and the Consumer Protection Department? But there is no one to answer
their cries! The big question that arises is: If you are incapable of saving
Lebanon and its people, why don't you resign and find relief for yourselves and
others?
And always remember that a state that does not inquire about the well-being of
its people does not deserve the honor of governing, because governance is an
honor, not a luxury.
At your service, Lebanon
Will the eighth round of Lebanon-Israel talks be
postponed?
Al-Markazia/September 2, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
Israeli Channel 12 reported that the talks in Rome may be postponed to a later
date if no concrete steps are taken on the ground, indicating that the eighth
round of talks between Lebanon and Israel in Rome is not expected to take place
before mid-September. Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said: "I
met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Ambassador to Beirut
Michel Issa to discuss the talks between Lebanon and Israel."
The Bashir Gemayel Foundation Calls for Participation in
Commemorating the 44th Anniversary of His Martyrdom and that of His Companions
Al-Markazia/September 2, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
The Bashir Gemayel Foundation has called for participation in commemorating the
44th anniversary of the martyrdom of President Bashir Gemayel and his
companions, on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at 6:00 PM in Sassine Square in
Ashrafieh.
Abu Kassam: Talk of Patriarch Rai's Resignation is Baseless
Al-Markazia/September 2, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
Al-Markazia - Monsignor Abdo Abu Kassam, Head of the Catholic Media Council,
confirmed to MFM that what was issued by Pope Leo was a personal statement
addressed to all heads of Eastern churches and not directed against Patriarch
Rai. He pointed out that talk of Patriarch Rai's resignation is baseless and
unfounded. He intends to resign, but the Council of Bishops is not considering
dismissing him.
Hajj Hassan: We are not ashamed or embarrassed; rather, we
are proud to be allies of Iran.
Al-Markazia/September 2, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
- MP Hussein Hajj Hassan, a member of the "Development and Liberation" bloc,
stated that "Iran has been able to persevere and impose its will. When the
Americans attacked it yesterday and the day before, it responded decisively,
swiftly, and forcefully to this aggression. Trump then came out and said that we
will respond to this Iranian response, but we are relying on economic pressure.
This means that he knows very well that Iran made its choice a long time ago,
more than 40 years ago, that it would confront arrogance, and it did confront
it. It decided to persevere, and it did. God willing, with patience and
steadfastness, God will grant us, Iran, the oppressed, Gaza, Iraq, Yemen,
Palestine, Syria, Jordan, and other countries victory. America and Israel will
face very serious repercussions." Hajj Hassan emphasized this point in a speech
during a ceremony honoring the families of victims and the wounded in Ouzai. “We
are not ashamed or embarrassed, but rather we are proud that we are allies of
Iran, while shame should befall America’s allies, because it is a sponsor of
terrorism, a source of evil, an ally and armer of Israel, and adopts its
narrative and position, and has not pressured it to implement even one letter of
the ominous framework agreement that it sponsors. Therefore, betting on America
is a wrong bet, without substance and without meaning.”
Will the Iran-US war spill over into Lebanon? Israel Provokes Hezbollah and
Opens the “Ali Taher” Front
South Lebanon/September 2, 2026 (Google
translation from Arabic)
Fears are growing that the repercussions of the military confrontation between
the United States and Iran will spill over onto the Lebanese-Israeli front, amid
escalating regional tensions and an exchange of strikes between Washington and
Tehran, coinciding with the continuation of Israeli military operations in
southern Lebanon. The United States launched airstrikes targeting Iranian sites
and facilities, including Larak Island and oil tankers, under the pretext of
responding to Iran's attempt to plant naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz and
launch missiles. In response, Iran, through its Revolutionary Guard, launched
ballistic missile and drone attacks targeting bases and sites hosting US forces
in several countries in the region, including Jordan (at Prince Hassan and Azraq
bases), Bahrain, and Kuwait, amidst a broad military escalation and US warnings.
Alongside this escalation, Lebanon appears poised to become one of the arenas
for this exchange of messages, particularly if Israel decides to exploit the
current stalemate in the south.
The Nabatieh region, particularly the areas of Ali Taher, Dabsheh, Doha Kfar
Remman, and Nabatieh al-Fawqa, witnessed a violent night marked by an
unprecedented escalation in the pace of airstrikes and artillery shelling, in
what appeared to be a continuous, one-sided military operation. According to
MTV, Hezbollah repelled an Israeli advance towards Ali Taher after midnight,
while the Israeli army announced that Hezbollah had launched two explosive-laden
drones towards its soldiers in the security zone of the Ali Taher heights. From
approximately 10:00 PM until dawn, the attacks continued unabated, with an
average of nearly five Israeli airstrikes per hour, interspersed with repeated
bursts of artillery fire. Explosions reverberated throughout the region, causing
widespread anxiety and fear among the residents. In this context, the statements
of the Israeli Defense Minister take on particular significance, as he stated
that if Israel were to be attacked by Iran due to its operations in Gaza or
Lebanon, its aircraft would be ready to take off immediately. This clearly
reflects the possibility of Israel linking the various fronts, ensuring that the
Lebanese arena is not isolated from Israeli calculations in the confrontation
with Iran. According to information obtained by Janoubia, Israel may exploit
Hezbollah's opposition to direct Lebanese-Israeli negotiations, its rejection of
the experimental zones in the south, and its insistence on not disarming them,
to launch powerful strikes against the party deep inside southern Lebanon. This
information suggests that any Hezbollah response within Israel could open the
door to a wider targeting, with Israel potentially bombing deeper into Lebanon,
including Beirut and its southern suburbs.
These calculations are inextricably linked to the internal political situation
in Israel. With the Knesset elections approaching next month, Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu needs to restore public confidence, which has been shaken in
recent years by political and security crises. Therefore, if the confrontation
spills over into Lebanon, it could become part of Netanyahu's political battle,
especially if the escalation leads to a direct Iranian response on Israeli soil.
Israel could then find itself facing a broader scenario: an Iranian response
that would allow Netanyahu to once again present himself as the leader capable
of confronting the Iranian threat, and the resumption of Israeli airstrikes on
military sites inside Iran, thus bringing back to the forefront the alliance
between Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump. In light of these developments,
the US Embassy in Beirut issued an urgent warning to its citizens, stating that
the security situation in the Middle East remains complex, with the potential
for unexpected escalation. It urged American citizens in the region to exercise
extreme caution and be aware of the possibility of flight cancellations,
airspace closures, and travel disruptions. These warnings, coinciding with the
US-Iranian escalation and tensions on the southern front, raise a more pressing
question: Will Lebanon remain outside the war, or could Ali Taher become the
spark that ignites the southern front into an open war between Iran and the US?
In this equation, the south once again appears to be the weakest link, as the
calculations of Iran, Israel, and the US intersect on its soil, while the
Lebanese citizen remains the one who pays the price for any miscalculations by
the major powers.
Maronite Bishops: To Agree on an International Force to
Replace UNIFIL
AlMarkaziaLSeptember 02/2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
The Maronite bishops held their monthly meeting at the patriarchal summer
residence in Diman, chaired by Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi,
with the participation of the superiors general of the Maronite religious
orders. They discussed ecclesiastical and national affairs.
At the conclusion of the meeting, they issued the following statement:
The members of the council express their deep sorrow and reiterate their
condemnation of the Israeli military operations targeting villages, towns, and
cities in the South. They renew their demand that the capable international
powers put a definitive end to these operations, and that all concerned parties
adhere to the obligations of the Framework Agreement.
The members of the council are monitoring the beginning of the gradual
withdrawal of the United Nations forces operating in the South, which is
scheduled to conclude next December. They call for an agreement on an
alternative international or multinational force with a firm operational mandate
that would enable Lebanon to successfully reclaim its territory up to the
international borders through its legitimate military forces.
The Council members welcome the abolition of the death penalty, provided that
this is accompanied by a strict enforcement of the rule of law, which
strengthens security and stability in the country and prevents those concerned
from resorting to compromises like those that occurred with the general amnesty
law.
The Council members affirm the fundamental principle of freedom in Lebanon's
existence and progress, and hope for a review of the provisions in the new media
law that threaten it, in respect for freedom of opinion and the protection of
the rights of those who express it.
The Council members commend those entrusted with internal security and traffic
control on public roads, given the increasing number of traffic accidents and
the rising number of deaths and injuries. They believe that the measures taken
in this regard must be accompanied by a visible security presence on the ground
and strict monitoring to be effective.
The members of the council ask the Lord God, as the Feast of the Exaltation of
the Holy Cross approaches, that the occasion be a renewed opportunity to pray
for the liberation of the beloved homeland from its local and external distress,
and its return to the sound human path that its sons and daughters hope for.
Awaited Meeting Between Rubio and Salam in Late September:
Strong US Involvement in Lebanese-Israeli Talks Despite Tensions with Iran
Janoubia/September 2, 2026 (Google translation
from Arabic)
At a highly sensitive regional juncture, a new US diplomatic initiative is
emerging regarding the Lebanese file, with a high-level meeting scheduled for
late September in Washington, D.C. Several pivotal points in the ongoing
negotiations are expected to be resolved during this meeting. Informed
diplomatic sources revealed that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is preparing
to receive Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Washington on September 28.
The diplomatic sources confirmed that the Washington administration remains
committed to its strong and direct involvement in the Lebanese file and in
sponsoring the Lebanese-Israeli talks, emphasizing that this process maintains
its momentum and strong US support despite the developments and escalation on
the ground related to the Iranian issue in the region. This anticipated meeting
is an extension of a diplomatic process launched by Washington months ago, which
has witnessed several key milestones: The April
Preliminary Meeting: On April 14, Rubio hosted the first direct meeting between
representatives of Lebanon and Israel in decades in Washington. Discussions were
described as positive, but a final agreement was not reached.
The Signing of the Framework Agreement: On June 26, representatives of Lebanon
and Israel signed a "framework agreement" under American auspices and with
Rubio's direct involvement. The agreement outlined a mechanism for addressing
security and sovereignty issues in southern Lebanon, including a timetable for
the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the extension of the Lebanese state and
army's authority over all areas. The September 28
meeting represents a crucial juncture in the political communication between
Beirut and Washington. Through this meeting, the US administration seeks to
solidify the "framework agreement" signed between the Lebanese and Israeli sides
and ensure the continued stability of the security and field de-escalation
channels in the south, preventing them from being affected by the widening
regional confrontation and the escalating tensions between Washington and
Tehran.
A Tense Night in Ali al-Taher: Hezbollah Launches Two
Explosive-Laden Drones, and the Israeli Army Responds with Airstrikes on
Nabatieh
South Lebanon/September 2, 2026 (Google
translation from Arabic)
The Ali al-Taher Heights in southern Lebanon witnessed a new escalation at dawn
on Wednesday, after the Israeli army announced that Hezbollah had launched two
explosive-laden drones overnight towards its forces operating in the area,
prompting a fierce Israeli response. The army stated that soldiers fired on one
of the drones and managed to shoot it down, without any casualties among Israeli
forces. Israeli Broadcasting Corporation correspondent Itai Blumenthal reported
the same information, while Amit Segal stated that one of the drones was
intercepted with light weapons around 2:30 AM. Following the attack, the Israeli
army announced that it had carried out airstrikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in
the Nabatieh area, which it said was used to plan and direct operations against
Israeli forces in what Israel calls the "security zone" and against civilians
inside Israel, adding that the strikes were carried out to remove an "immediate
threat."The army confirmed it would continue operations in the Ali Taher Heights
and would not allow Hezbollah operatives in the area to launch attacks against
its forces. Simultaneously, at 4:24 AM, sirens sounded in Kfar Yuval, Ma'ayan
Baruch, Hagoshrim, and Dafna in the Galilee Panhandle, following a suspected
drone incursion from Lebanon. Channel 14 initially described the incident as the
first drone crossing from Lebanon into Israel since June. However, the Israeli
army later stated, after a preliminary investigation, that the interceptor
missiles launched during the sirens likely targeted a dummy target. On the
ground, shelling of southern Lebanon continued overnight and into the morning,
with airstrikes in Kfar Rumman, Nabatieh al-Fawqa, and other areas, while the
Ali Taher Heights remained a central focus of Israeli operations against the
network of tunnels and underground facilities. It was reported that four
airstrikes targeted Ali al-Taher, one targeted Doha Kafr Rumman, one targeted
al-Dabsha, followed by a barrage of fire on Doha Kafr Rumman, one targeted
Nabatieh al-Fawqa, and one targeted Arab Salim. The airstrikes on Nabatieh al-Fawqa
appeared this morning, Wednesday.
Will the eighth round of Lebanon-Israel talks be postponed?
Al-Markazia/September 2, 2026 (Google
translation from Arabic)
Israeli Channel 12 reported that the talks in Rome may be postponed to a later
date if no concrete steps are taken on the ground, indicating that the eighth
round of talks between Lebanon and Israel in Rome is not expected to take place
before mid-September. Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said: "I
met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Ambassador to Beirut
Michel Issa to discuss the talks between Lebanon and Israel."
The "Good Loan" is buried under the rubble... An Israeli myth for propaganda or
a reality hidden by the field evacuation?
South Lebanon/September 2, 2026 (Google
translation from Arabic)
The issue of the gold assets and cash liquidity of the "Good Loan" Association
in Lebanon – particularly in its branches spread across the South and Nabatieh
governorates – constitutes one of the most complex files in the internal
financial and security landscape. This file intertwines the operational
mechanisms of the association with the field developments resulting from
military targeting, judicial pursuit, and international investigations. The
institution's main financing activity relies on providing loans in US dollars
against personal gold as collateral, which has made its branches in the South a
destination for hundreds of thousands of citizens. The collateral gold: The
largest portion of the assets consists of "family gold jewelry and possessions"
deposited by borrowers as collateral for loan repayment. Press financial reports
estimate that this The direct assets belong to more than 400,000 borrowers and
depositors across Lebanon, with a high concentration in the South, the southern
suburbs of Beirut, and the Bekaa Valley. Assets and bullion: In addition to gold
pledged to citizens, the association holds assets of gold bullion and coins,
which it uses to secure liquidity and to manage financial hedging and trading
operations outside the formal banking system linked to the Central Bank of
Lebanon. The fate of the gold in the South during the military strikes and
evacuation plans: The targeting of the association's buildings and headquarters
in the South by Israeli forces raised serious questions about the fate of the
vaults and the gold they contained. In this context, press and informed sources
revealed that the association's management implemented an emergency and
evacuation plan as threats and military operations escalated. This involved
emptying the main vaults and transferring the gold and cash from the surface and
exposed branches in the South to fortified and undisclosed locations. The
Israeli army announced, through statements and televised conferences, that it
had targeted what it described as "tunnels and cash and gold depots worth
billions of dollars" beneath facilities and hospitals. In response, the
association's management issued a statement Al-Qard Al-Hasan issued statements
reassuring depositors and borrowers, affirming that "all pure and manufactured
gold deposits are completely safe." The statement indicated that the targeting
of buildings affected only stones and administrative facilities that were
entirely devoid of citizens' belongings before the bombing. The on-the-ground
implications for the association's gold are accompanied by a comprehensive legal
and financial confrontation at both the local and international levels.
Lebanese Judicial Referral: The case witnessed official action following the
Minister of Justice's referral of Al-Qard Al-Hasan's file to the Public
Prosecutor's Office for investigation into its practice of "unlicensed banking
and financial activity" outside the oversight of the Central Bank of Lebanon and
the Monetary and Credit Law. US Sanctions and Financial Measures: The US
Treasury Department continues to impose strict sanctions on the association and
its officials, prohibiting dealings with any entities or commercial networks
involved in the movement of gold or its conversion into cash, as part of efforts
to eliminate parallel financial channels. Documentary data confirms that the
gold deposited in Al-Qard Al-Hasan's branches in the south is a real and
established fact, linked to the ownership of hundreds of thousands of citizens
and the association's own assets. However, on-the-ground evidence and official
statements confirm The majority of this gold was evacuated early and transferred
to secure storage networks, which prevented it from being damaged or seized
during the raids that targeted the declared buildings and headquarters.
After a tight siege, Israel announces the death and escape of most Hezbollah
fighters in Ali al-Taher.
Al-Markazia/September 2, 2026 (Google
translation from Arabic)
Security assessments issued by Israeli military leaders revealed that most
Hezbollah militia members who had fortified themselves inside the network of
tunnels extending through the Ali al-Taher mountain range in southern Lebanon
were killed, while a small number managed to escape. This followed weeks of
siege and intensive military operations carried out by the 36th Division.
According to new security assessments, the Israeli army estimates that between
10 and 15 bodies of Hezbollah fighters remain inside the tunnel network, dubbed
"the shelter cities," as reported by the Maariv newspaper on Wednesday. The
assessments attribute their deaths to shelling and direct clashes, in addition
to the lack of food and water supplies due to the prolonged siege. The
assessments also indicated that a very limited number managed to escape, while
some were wounded or killed by Israeli fire while attempting to flee. An Israeli
military source denied to the Israeli newspaper the presence of any Iranian
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel or advisors inside these tunnels
since the start of the field operations. The source explained that "although the
tunnel network was prepared and constructed under Iranian supervision and
support, no IRGC personnel were observed inside them during the period of
military inactivity in the area." In the early hours of this morning, Hezbollah
launched two drones toward Israeli forces in the field. The forces managed to
shoot one down, while the second exploded without causing any casualties. The
Israeli army confirmed that it is in no hurry to declare the end of military
operations in the Ali al-Taher mountain range, emphasizing that its forces are
moving slowly and with extreme caution to avoid the dangers posed by improvised
explosive devices (IEDs) and booby traps that may have been planted within the
underground cavities, similar to previous operations carried out in Quneitra,
Majdal Zoun, and Shaqif.
Explosions and heavy airstrikes rock Nabatieh; Israeli army: We attacked
Hezbollah infrastructure in response to its launching of two drones at our
soldiers
Al-Markazia/September 2, 2026 (Google
translation from Arabic)
Heavy Israeli artillery shelling targeted Wadi al-Hujair and the town of Beit
Leef this evening.
Around 8:30 PM, enemy warplanes launched an airstrike targeting the Ali al-Taher
heights on the outskirts of Nabatieh al-Fawqa. Around 8:15 PM, they launched two
separate airstrikes targeting the outskirts of the al-Deir neighborhood in
Nabatieh al-Fawqa. Around 7:40 PM, warplanes again targeted the outskirts of
Nabatieh al-Fawqa. Additionally, artillery shelling targeted Wadi al-Salouqi,
al-Hujair, and the town of Bani Hayyan. This afternoon, warplanes launched two
separate airstrikes on the town of al-Mansouri. Enemy airstrikes also targeted
the towns of Haris and al-Qantara. The Israeli army carried out another bombing
in the town of Houla, while warplanes were observed flying at low altitude over
the Zahrani area. A large explosion was reported in the town of Kfar Tebnit. The
Israeli army also carried out bombings in the towns of Beit Leef, Mansouri, and
Haddatha. Simultaneously, Israeli artillery shelling targeted the town of
Mansouri. Israeli forces today carried out bombings in the Mansouri area, near
the town of Majdal Zoun in the Tyre district, and also conducted a bombing in
Houla. The Israeli army carried out a large bombing in the town of Kfar Tebnit
in the Nabatieh district, which caused a massive explosion throughout Nabatieh.
Israeli bulldozers demolished homes in Mansouri. A drone strike targeted the
Roueiss neighborhood near the Ma'souma Garden in Nabatieh, resulting in one
death and one injury. A strike was also reported on the Deir neighborhood in
Upper Nabatieh, but no injuries were reported. Television reports revealed that
Hezbollah repelled an Israeli advance towards Ali al-Taher after midnight,
targeting a military vehicle with a drone and destroying it. Earlier on
Wednesday night, Hezbollah launched two explosive-laden drones towards the
Israeli army in the Ali al-Taher Heights area. Israeli soldiers responded by
firing and downing one of the drones. There were no reports of Israeli
casualties. The Israeli army stated, "In response to this attack, the IDF
targeted Hezbollah positions in the Nabatieh area of southern Lebanon. These
positions were used by Hezbollah operatives to plan and direct attacks targeting
Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers in the security zone. These strikes were
carried out to eliminate an immediate threat." The Israeli army announced that
it will continue its operations in the Heights area, will not allow operatives
to advance and carry out attacks against its soldiers, and will continue to act
decisively against Hezbollah's repeated attempts to harm its troops. The Israeli
army escalated its attacks in the south, with warplanes launching a drone strike
at 4:00 AM targeting a house in the Al-Maslakh neighborhood of Nabatieh, though
no injuries were reported. Israeli warplanes also targeted the town of Arab
Salim, and according to initial reports, a room in the large cemetery was
struck. No casualties have been reported so far. An Israeli drone also dropped a
bomb on the outskirts of the town of Yater, again without causing any injuries.
The Nabatieh region, particularly the areas of Ali Taher, Al-Dabsha, Doha Kfar
Rumman, and Nabatieh al-Fawqa, witnessed a violent night characterized by an
unprecedented intensification of airstrikes and artillery shelling, in what
appeared to be a continuous, one-sided battle. From approximately 10:00 PM until
the morning hours, the airstrikes continued unabated, with an average of nearly
five strikes per hour, interspersed with successive bursts of artillery fire.
Explosions reverberated throughout the region, causing widespread anxiety and
fear among the residents. According to field data, this night is the most
violent the region has witnessed in more than a month, in light of the ongoing
military escalation on this axis.
Complex and Intricate: The Indictment in the Port Explosion Case Expected Soon
Al-Markazia/September 2, 2026
An-Nahar has learned that the Public Prosecutor, Judge Mohammad Saab, will issue
his opinion in the Beirut port explosion case within a month or two at the most.
A judicial source explained to An-Nahar that the investigating judge, Tariq
Bitar, has two months to issue his indictment in the case, noting that the
investigations are still ongoing to determine responsibility.
The judicial source described the port explosion file as "complex and
intricate" because it contains thousands of pages that could fill an entire
room, especially since the investigations are also focusing on the nature of the
materials that were detonated and whether the entire quantity exploded. In the
case of a large quantity of ammunition or explosives being detonated in one
location, it is possible that some of the materials may remain at the site,
depending on their nature and the surrounding circumstances. The source
emphasized that "nothing" can be confirmed at this stage before the
investigations are completed and the circumstances of the explosion and related
responsibilities are determined, especially since the issue is humanitarian and
concerns all Lebanese.
US Source: Washington Suspects Lebanese Security Personnel of Facilitating
Revolutionary Guard Movements
Riyadh - Al-Arabiya.net/September 2, 2026
A US intelligence source revealed to Al-Arabiya/Al-Hadath on Wednesday that
Washington has reservations about certain members of the Lebanese General
Security, indicating suspicions that they are providing facilities to Hezbollah
at Beirut Airport and the port. The source added that the administration of US
President Donald Trump has been monitoring movements of Iranian Revolutionary
Guard Corps (IRGC) members to and from Lebanon, amid reports that they are using
the identities and documents of Lebanese citizens, including deceased
individuals, to obtain documents and register Iranian operatives. The source
further stated that there are suspicions of involvement by members of the
General Security Directorate in issuing passports to Iranian operatives, noting
that US authorities are currently scrutinizing cases of Iranians crossing into
Lebanon using Lebanese documents through Beirut Airport and land border
crossings. The source also pointed to loopholes in the mechanisms for
registering deaths within Hezbollah's ranks, which are being used to facilitate
the entry of Iranians into Lebanon. These developments come amid escalating
tensions months ago between Beirut and Tehran regarding Iran's role in Lebanon,
particularly as the Lebanese government moves to solidify the state's monopoly
on the use of force and compel Hezbollah to abide by Lebanese government
decisions. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had previously emphasized his
rejection of Iranian interference in Lebanese affairs, stating emphatically
during an interview with CNN last June: "This is not your country, it is our
country, and it is our duty, not yours, to interfere in our country," accusing
Tehran of using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in its negotiations with the United
States. These developments also came amid a dispute between the Lebanese
government and Hezbollah regarding the negotiating track with Israel. While the
government insists on continuing negotiations under US auspices, Hezbollah
refuses direct negotiations with Israel and opposes relinquishing its weapons.
The party has also, at times, launched campaigns accusing the Lebanese
authorities of treason and criticizing them. It is worth noting that the war in
the Middle East spilled over into Lebanon on March 2nd, after Hezbollah, an ally
of Tehran, launched rockets toward Israel in retaliation for the killing of
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the US-Israeli
airstrikes on Iran on February 28th. Israel responded with a large-scale
campaign of airstrikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon. Israel, which
has repeatedly stated its intention to maintain its forces in southern Lebanon
within a "security zone" extending 10 kilometers along its border, has continued
to carry out massive demolition and bombing operations in towns.
Lebanon Dismantles Network Smuggling Fighters from Syria
for Hezbollah Training
Riyadh - Al-Arabiya.net/September 2, 2026
While Lebanese authorities have repeatedly affirmed their commitment to
maintaining good relations with Damascus, a well-informed Lebanese source
revealed that Lebanese security forces dismantled a network that was smuggling
fighters from the Syrian coast for training by Hezbollah. The source told Al-Arabiya/Al-Hadath
on Wednesday that the smuggling network was run by a former Syrian officer
operating from Moscow and close to former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The
source explained that the Information Branch of the Lebanese Internal Security
Forces dismantled the network several days ago. It was revealed that the network
had prepared a plan aimed at destabilizing security in both Lebanon and Syria.
The source added that two Syrians and two Lebanese nationals were arrested for
their involvement in smuggling fighters from the Syrian coast into Lebanon
through an illegal crossing in the North. He pointed out that the accused
smuggled fighters from the Syrian coast into Lebanon, then transported them to
Beirut's southern suburbs and from there to a Hezbollah training camp in the
Baalbek-Hermel region of eastern Lebanon. He also confirmed that among those
arrested was a Syrian intelligence colonel named Manaf Ali Safi, in addition to
four other individuals. He added that the group was undergoing training by
Hezbollah instructors and that machine guns, hand grenades, sniper rifles, and
explosives were seized from them. He concluded by noting that security services
have so far identified three of these instructors and are working to arrest
them. Informed sources revealed last year that two of Assad's closest
confidants, Major General Kamal Hassan and his cousin, the billionaire Rami
Makhlouf, attempted to form militias on the Syrian coast and within Lebanese
territory, comprised of members of the Alawite sect to which the Assad family
belongs, according to a Reuters report at the time. It is worth noting that both
Beirut and Damascus have repeatedly affirmed their commitment to turning the
page on the past that strained relations between the two countries under Assad's
rule. They emphasized the need to open a new chapter in bilateral relations
based on mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs,
especially given that the Assad regime had dominated the Lebanese political
scene for many years. Hezbollah's intervention in the Syrian war on the side of
the former regime had further deepened the wounds between the two neighboring
countries.
Iran in Lebanon
Colonel Charbel Barakat/September 02/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/09/157144/
Lebanon is groaning under full Iranian occupation, as Hezbollah—through its
military and intelligence wings—exercises direct control over the state's
security apparatus. In contrast, its political wing imposes dominance over the
Parliament through the Speaker, who has monopolized decision-making for more
than three decades without straying from any of the party's instructions,
bolstered by loyal parliamentary blocs. As for the government, Hezbollah is
represented by all Shia ministers and a few hesitating loyalists—chief among
them the Deputy Prime Minister—who actively block any serious decisions that
might offer an opportunity to eliminate the Iranian occupation and its
followers.
After dragging Lebanon into wars to defend Iran and its interests, using the
South as a launchpad to fight Israel, Hezbollah prepared and equipped this
region with complete disregard for the interests of its residents. When the
Israeli war began, it focused on clearing the land of its population and
destroying all structures that could be utilized in guerrilla warfare, urging
residents to leave their homes and villages to minimize casualties.
The strategy of the party and its leadership relied on avoiding direct
confrontation, entrapping the enemy in guerrilla warfare that inflicts heavy
casualties during their movements, thereby forcing a preferred withdrawal.
Consequently, they relied on tunnels and fortified underground sites, equipping
them for a long-term fight. In response, the Israelis systematically destroyed
all structures above and below ground to prevent the exploitation of these
positions and to bury fighters beneath the rubble—a pattern seen in their
repeated return to destroy whenever the IDF detects movement under the debris.
The Lebanese authority, subordinate to Hezbollah—even if some of its members
hold opposing views—attempts to negotiate a return to the villages and sites,
allowing the party to search for its members trapped under the rubble to save
them from certain death. This occurred in "Zautar al-Gharbiyeh," where the party
and its medical personnel entered before the army to search for surviving
fighters. Conversely, Israel and the United States seek to give this authority
the opportunity to assert control over the ground using its own forces, prevent
Hezbollah members from returning, clear the sites and tunnels, and arrest and
try fighters for causing this destruction—paving the way for full territorial
control and preventing Hezbollah from monopolizing decision-making before
starting the reconstruction process and the gradual return of residents.
As for the Iranians, who have invested heavily in Hezbollah, its infrastructure,
and its personnel, they still believe they can continue managing Lebanon as part
of their defense plans and future dominance over the Middle East. They have not
yet despaired of the confrontation game with the United States and Israel,
banking oninternational sympathy toward Lebanon due to its widespread diaspora,
who maintain good relations that could be leveraged to pressure the United
States and de-escalate the ongoing war. By doing so, they preserve their grip on
Lebanon as a springboard for later re-deployment following a potential agreement
with the United States in the Gulf. Hence, their recent attempts to avoid
missile strikes against Israel aim to prevent the Israeli
public from pushing for a swift resolution in Lebanon that would effectively end
Hezbollah's existence.
At the "Nabi Taher" hill, for instance, the Iranians attempt to present it as
the primary command center, signaling they will not abandon it and will fight to
remain, despite widespread knowledge that it has fallen militarily and lost
operational viability. Surrounded at its access points with its launch vents and
ventilation monitored, it has become a dead site where those inside are
practically deceased. However, the insistence of the party and its backers on
this stance aims to buy time and reach a settlement that prevents the collapse
of remaining fortified sites in Jabal al-Rihan and Iqlim al-Tuffah, extending to
the Southern Suburbs (Dahiyeh), military sites in the Bekaa and Hermel, and
onward toward the Eastern or Western Mountain Ranges, as well as Byblos (Jbeil),
Keserwan, and beyond.
The Iranian leadership realizes the magnitude of its loss in today's southern
confrontation. It had prepared all of Lebanon to serve as a warehouse and depot
for a future conflict—not just against Israel, but against NATO and European and
American fleets. From this standpoint, Tehran can maneuver in the southern
dossier and accept partial solutions, provided the regime in Tehran does not
fall, while awaiting the return of residents to the South and preparing to
mobilize once more for future rounds without losing the strategic arsenal
reserved for major clashes. Tehran still believes that facing Israel alone is
not an obstacle; rather, the obstacle lies in Western support for Israel. Thus
comes the reliance on the Islamic card, attempts to push the United States out
of the Gulf, fracturing the European-American alliance, and cooling hostility
with Turkey to avoid clash and set the stage for the coming battle.
Will the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps succeed in its plans? Or will the
coming phase deliver a decisive blow—whether in the Gulf or in Lebanon—ending
its control over the Iranian people, restoring openness to Iran, and returning
stability, freedom, and peaceful neighborly cooperation to Lebanon in an
atmosphere of peace and prosperity?
Nabih Berri and the Vanished Lebanese State
Makram Rabah/Now Lebanon/September 02/2026
Nabih Berri, Lebanon's Parliament Speaker and leader of the Shiite Amal
movement, addresses supporters in Beirut on August 31, 2023 commemorating the
anniversary of Imam Musa al-Sadr's disappearance. On
the forty-eighth anniversary of Imam Musa al-Sadr’s abrupt vanishing, Nabih
Berri reminded the Lebanese that the revered cleric remains missing. He
neglected to mention that the Lebanese state has also been made to vanish—and
that he is among the longest-serving custodians of its erasure.Berri began his
speech by honoring the dead, the displaced and the villages destroyed by war. He
then declared that “nothing is more precious than Lebanon.” These are moving
words, especially from a man who has occupied the heart of power for more than
four decades, served as speaker of parliament since 1992, and participated in
virtually every bargain, quota arrangement, institutional paralysis and
political failure that brought Lebanon to ruin. Berri
declared that civil peace, national unity and the Lebanese Armed Forces were
“red lines.” Yet the only truly untouchable red line within the system he helped
construct has always been Hezbollah’s weapons. The army was prevented from
challenging them, the state from scrutinizing them, and the Lebanese from
questioning their cost without being accused of treason or collaboration with
Israel.
He then made a remarkable discovery: “The responsibility for protecting and
defending the south belongs to the state and its military, security and
constitutional institutions.”Excellent. But where was this conviction when the
south—its security, its inhabitants and the decisions of war and peace—was
surrendered to Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps? Where was
the state when villages were turned into military zones and their residents made
human shields for a project designed in Tehran and executed by its Lebanese
proxy?
Berri cannot demand that the state assume responsibility today after spending
decades denying it the instruments needed to do so. Nor can he invoke the army
after helping protect a formula that allowed an ideological parallel army to
become more powerful than the legitimate one.
Berri also claimed that Israel’s real target was “neither Hezbollah nor its
weapons,” but Lebanon and domestic strife. Here he returned to the oldest trick
in the political handbook: absolve the Iranian-backed arsenal of responsibility
and portray every discussion of it as a conspiracy against Lebanon’s Shiite
community. As if Lebanese Shiites cannot live without
the IRGC’s rockets. As if their dignity depends on Lebanon remaining an arena in
which Iran negotiates with the world using Lebanese blood and territory.
In fact, the most dangerous form of sectarian incitement is reducing an entire
community to an armed organization and tying its security and future to a
foreign project. And the greatest insult to Musa al-Sadr is to use his memory to
legitimize a political and military system that contradicts his vision of
citizenship, coexistence and the state. Berri
criticized direct negotiations with Israel and asked what seven rounds of talks
had achieved. But he did not ask what four decades of “resistance” had produced.
How many villages were destroyed? How many Lebanese were displaced? How many
times was Lebanon used to improve Iran’s negotiating position?
His defense of the Taif Agreement was equally selective. He embraces the
provisions that protect his position while ignoring those requiring the
restoration of state authority and the disbandment of militias. For Berri, Taif
is less a national compact than an à la carte menu: he chooses what suits the
table and leaves the rest untouched.
Nabih Berri is not an opposition leader describing destruction caused by others.
He is a central pillar of the deep state that enabled Iranian influence,
protected Hezbollah’s autonomy and paralyzed institutions whenever they
threatened the interests of the armed political duopoly.
After forty-eight years, the question is no longer only: Who was responsible for
Imam Musa al-Sadr’s abrupt vanishing? It is also: Who
erased his political legacy, ruled in his name and surrendered the state he
envisioned to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps?
Imam Musa al-Sadr is a national trust. But so is Lebanon—and Nabih Berri did not
preserve it.
Makram Rabah is the managing editor at Now Lebanon and an Assistant Professor at
the American University of Beirut, Department of History. His book Conflict on
Mount Lebanon: The Druze, the Maronites and Collective Memory (Edinburgh
University Press) covers collective identities and the Lebanese Civil War. He
tweets at @makramrabah
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on September 02-03/2026
US ambassador to Lebanon travels to Israel to meet Netanyahu
Al Arabiya English/02 September ,2026
The US ambassador to Lebanon traveled to Israel in a rare publicized visit by an
American diplomat stationed in Beirut to meet with Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu and discuss efforts to advance ceasefire talks between
Lebanon and Israel. Michel Issa and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee met
with Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials to discuss moving ahead with
the implementation of the Trilateral Framework, the US Embassy in Israel said.
“The United States remains committed to its success, and to moving towards a
comprehensive peace and security agreement between the two countries,” the
embassy said in a statement posted on X. The visit comes as Washington seeks to
advance the ceasefire framework between Israel and Lebanon and move the two
countries toward a broader security arrangement.
Lebanon Central Bank says new audit to scrutinize transactions for graft
AFP/02 September ,2026
Lebanon’s central bank said Wednesday that an outside firm had begun a forensic
audit into past transactions linked to its foreign assets, scrutinizing them for
evidence of graft in the wake of the country’s economic collapse. The move is
part of measures the institution has taken to improve oversight, steps that have
also resulted in the arrest of the body’s former governor, Riad Salameh. A
forensic audit has also been a key demand of the international community and the
International Monetary Fund as Lebanon seeks bailout funds after the economic
crash, which began in 2019. The central bank said Wednesday that on August 17
the New York-based Alvarez & Marsal began the forensic audit of “selected
transactions,” covering the period from October 2019 to the end of 2023. The
audit includes “transactions related to the central bank’s foreign assets,
including subsidy programs for essential goods and materials” as well as other
transfers, it said.In May, the central bank had said that the audit aimed to
verify that payments and transfers “were executed pursuant to proper
authorizations and approvals,” and that funds “were used for their intended
purposes, without any violation, misuse, or misappropriation.”
In 2020, Alvarez & Marsal launched an audit of the central bank but later halted
work after the body failed to hand over necessary data. The firm resumed that
audit the following year, and its preliminary report in 2023 painted a damning
picture of the institution under long-serving former governor Salameh. Salameh,
who headed the bank from 1993 to July 2023, is widely viewed as a key culprit in
the country’s dramatic economic crash and is accused of having amassed a fortune
during his time in the job. He has faced numerous accusations including
embezzlement and tax evasion in probes in Lebanon and abroad but has
consistently denied any wrongdoing, insisting he is being made a “scapegoat” for
the economic collapse. He was arrested in September 2024 and charged with
offences including the alleged embezzlement of $44 million from the central bank
but was released a year later after posting record bail of more than $14
million.He was placed in custody again in July over accusations including
embezzlement and illegal enrichment after a complaint lodged by the new central
bank authorities.
Trump says renewed US campaign against Iran won’t last long
Reuters/02 September ,2026
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the renewed US campaign against
Iran would not continue for “too long” after the biggest exchange of fire
between Tehran and Washington since July. Trump told reporters in the Oval
Office that Iran was trying to build a rocket that drops mines and the US had
destroyed it. He also said Iran had been working to restore its radar and
missile systems, which were also targeted in the US strikes. “We took out all of
the new equipment that they tried to build along the Strait of Hormuz - some
defensive, some offensive... It was a very heavy attack last night, and we’re
prepared to do another one any time we want,” he said.
Iran’s rial drops to new low of 2.2 million to the dollar
Reuters/02 September ,2026
Iran’s rial drops to new low of 2.2 million to the dollarIran’s currency has
dropped to a record low of more than 2.2 million rials per US dollar, two
websites tracking the free market rate showed on Wednesday, amid renewed
military strikes. The rial has dropped about 10 percent in the past week. The
troubled currency has lost about half of its value in a year of tightening US
sanctions and US and Israeli attacks that began in February.
US military says it completed latest wave of strikes on
Iran
Reuters/02 September ,2026
The US military said on Wednesday it completed its latest wave of strikes on
Iran, saying it struck Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets as the
Iran war escalated following a weekend exchange of fire. US forces struck IRGC
targets “including air defense sites, radar systems, maritime assets and
facilities, mine laying capabilities, and communications sites,” the US Central
Command said on X.An Axios report, citing US officials, said the US military
attacked two Iranian government tankers in Tuesday’s strikes. Iran retaliated on
Tuesday to the barrage of US strikes, as the exchange marked the most serious
escalation in weeks in a conflict that has driven up global energy prices. The
strikes followed a weekend exchange of fire, the first since late July, and
attacks on Monday on two tankers leaving the Strait of Hormuz, the global oil
supply waterway that Iran has effectively closed to shipping. Tehran struck back
at US assets in Jordan, Bahrain and Iraq. Five people were killed and 50 wounded
at a wedding near Sirik, a coastal area on the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian Red
Crescent reported. The Mehr news agency said a 4-year-old child was among those
killed, while the IRNA news agency, citing a
provincial official, put the number of wounded at 68. The US and Israel attacked
Iran on February 28 and Iran responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf
states. US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed
thousands and displaced millions. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said 17
million barrels of oil transited the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, saying it
marked the highest level of crude oil to pass through the waterway since the war
had reduced flows. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he was “not trying to
force Iran to the bargaining table.” “When are the Iranian people going to rise
up and fight?” Trump wrote on social media.
US eyes airlines, digital assets as Iran-related targets, Bessent says
Reuters/02 September ,2026
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday said airlines, the maritime
industry and digital assets could be possible targets as the Trump
administration continues its planned efforts to squeeze Iran’s economy. Bessent,
asked about Russian support for Iran in an interview on Fox News following a G20
gathering in North Carolina this week, also warned “everyone” against backing
Tehran. “My message to everyone is stay away. We all want this conflict to end,
and the fastest way for the conflict to end is for no one to provide any support
to this regime,” he told “Fox & Friends” one day after Russian President
Vladimir Putin threw his support behind Iran. “We are having very fulsome talks
with anyone supporting the regime,” he added. On Tuesday, Bessent said the
administration could also target airline leasing companies and that more Iran
bank sanctions could come this week.
Trump floats renaming Strait of Hormuz as ‘Trump Strait
AFP/02 September ,2026
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz
as “Trump Strait” despite the fact that the crucial waterway remains contested
amid the war with Iran.“Now that we have it under U.S.A. control, should we
change the name Hormuz Strait to TRUMP STRAIT??? Like America itself, it would
be ‘hotter’ than ever before!” Trump said on his Truth Social network. It is the
latest geographical name change floated by Trump and comes a week after he
ordered Lake Ontario to be renamed as “Lake America” amid a trade war with
Canada. Trump also renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” on his
first day back in office in January 2025. Neither Mexico nor Canada have
accepted the changes. Many of the previous name changes started off as
apparently jovial remarks by the 80-year-old US president before he then
followed through to make them a reality. Trump has in recent weeks repeatedly
pressed a threat to claim sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, even posting a
map showing the waterway as a “new US territory.”But Iran has effectively shut
down the chokepoint, through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes, in
retaliation for the war Trump started along with Israel in late February. Oil
prices are rising again after US forces launched fresh strikes near the Strait
of Hormuz on Tuesday in response to what Trump said were new minelaying efforts
by Iran.
Netanyahu: We Will Topple the Iranian Regime… All Our
Agencies Are Working Towards That
Riyadh - Al-Arabiya.net/September 2, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
With the renewed military confrontation between Tehran and Washington, Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu escalated his rhetoric against Iran, declaring
that his government is working to topple the Iranian regime. In a press
interview on Wednesday, Netanyahu said, "We will topple the regime in Iran, and
it will fall. All our agencies are working to topple the regime." He added that
if Iran decides to attack Israel, it should realize that this will be one of its
"final decisions." In the same context, Trump told the Israeli Broadcasting
Corporation that Israel "should not worry" about a renewed war with Iran,
emphasizing, "As long as I am President of the United States, I will take care
of it." "Iran is not interested in de-escalation." According to officials
familiar with the briefings within the US administration, the American objective
at this stage is not to expand the scope of the war, but rather to reduce the
risk of Iranian attacks, according to the corporation. Meanwhile, Israel's
Channel 13 reported that the Americans received an update from mediators
indicating that Iran remains uninterested in de-escalation and is inclined
toward further escalation, complicating efforts to reduce tensions. This came
after the United States targeted missile launch sites on Iran's Larak Island
over the weekend, following a month of relative calm. Iran responded by
launching missiles toward Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. On Tuesday,
Washington carried out additional strikes against Iranian targets near the
Strait of Hormuz, and Tehran retaliated by targeting American interests in the
region. Sources indicated that Trump currently does not want escalation, but he
is known for changing his stance depending on events, especially since the US
president threatened yesterday to further escalate the situation if Iran
retaliates against the recent American strikes.
With Iranian support, the Houthis pave the way for their
son's succession and the elimination of opponents.
Al-Arabiya.net – Awsan Salem/September 2, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
Yemeni sources closely connected to decision-making circles within the Houthi
group revealed internal arrangements aimed at promoting Jibril, the son of the
group's leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, to succeed his father as leader of the
group, amidst objections from prominent family figures and first-tier leaders.
The sources, who requested anonymity for security reasons, stated that Abdul-Malik
al-Houthi is leaning towards making his 28-year-old son, Jibril, the leading
candidate to succeed him in the event of his death. The sources also mentioned
an unannounced Iranian approval of the leadership transfer arrangements. The
"Yemen Future" media platform quoted the sources as saying that Jibril Abdul-Malik
al-Houthi underwent intensive military and security training courses in Iran, as
part of a program designed to prepare him politically and militarily for a
future leadership role within the group. According to the same sources, since
mid-2013, military experts from the Lebanese Hezbollah have been overseeing the
training of a limited number of Houthi family members and close associates,
including Jibril. In parallel with his son's training, the sources said that
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi worked to neutralize several first-tier leaders and remove
influential family figures who opposed the transfer of leadership of the group
to Jibril. Among these figures, according to the sources, was Abdul-Malik's
older brother, Yahya Badr al-Din al-Houthi, who was removed from his position as
Minister of Education in the group's internationally unrecognized government,
along with his uncle, Abdul-Karim Amir al-Din al-Houthi. Abdul-Karim al-Houthi
survived an Israeli airstrike on August 28, 2015, which targeted a building
hosting an unannounced meeting of the group's government, headed by Ahmed Ghaleb
al-Rahawi and several of its members, according to information circulating at
the time. Sources say he was later transferred to the Sultanate of Oman for
treatment. These details indicate an attempt to rearrange power centers within
the group and ensure the transfer of leadership within the narrow family circle,
while simultaneously removing figures who might compete with Jibril or oppose
his accession to his father's position.
Uncertainty surrounds Iran's nuclear program: IAEA unaware
of the status of the Isfahan facility
Riyadh - Al Arabiya.net / September 2, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
A new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the status of
Iranian nuclear facilities reveals significant gaps in inspection and monitoring
operations, amid ambiguity surrounding the status of the Isfahan facility and
the agency's inability to conduct on-site verification of its activities for six
months. According to the report, a copy of which was obtained by Al Arabiya
English, the agency confirmed that it has not conducted any on-site verification
at any Iranian nuclear facility since last February, which has limited its
ability to assess developments within the Iranian nuclear program. The report
also indicated that the agency has been unable to monitor the activities of
centrifuges in Iran, confirming that it does not know the precise status of the
Isfahan enrichment facility. This comes after IAEA Director General Rafael
Grossi stated on Tuesday, in a report that was not officially released, that
Iran continues to refuse to cooperate with the agency's inspectors and keeps
them in the dark about its controversial uranium stockpile, amid the ongoing
trade war with the United States. The report indicated that Tehran had not
provided the agency in Vienna with any information regarding approximately 440
kilograms of uranium, an amount experts said would be sufficient to produce
several nuclear weapons if the highly enriched material were further enriched.
Prior to the US-Israeli strikes in June 2015, the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) estimated that Iran possessed approximately 440 kilograms of
uranium enriched to 60%, a level approaching the 90% required for a nuclear
weapon and far exceeding the 3.67% limit stipulated in the 2015 agreement
between Iran and world powers. However, the fate of this stockpile has remained
uncertain since June 2015. Last June, Grossi stated that the "prevailing
impression" was that the stockpile remained at its previous location near the
Isfahan nuclear facility. The Isfahan nuclear facility is a key component of
Iran's nuclear program, housing a large complex of uranium processing and
conversion facilities, including a uranium conversion plant that produces
materials used in the nuclear fuel cycle. The facility also houses equipment
related to the manufacture of centrifuge components and uranium processing. The
site gained further importance after Iran announced in 2025 a new uranium
enrichment facility within a tunnel complex in Isfahan, parts of which were
damaged during the strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities last year.
CENTCOM: We Diverted 86 Ships in Iran Blockade / US Forces Disabled 3 and
Boarded 2 to Ensure Compliance
Riyadh - Al Arabiya.net / September 2, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Wednesday a new tally of its
operations within the US naval blockade of Iran, confirming that its forces
diverted 86 commercial vessels as of September 2. CENTCOM stated that the US
Navy continues to "strictly enforce" the US blockade on Iran, at a time when the
region is witnessing a significant military escalation between Washington and
Tehran. It added that US forces disabled three ships and boarded two others to
ensure their compliance with blockade procedures. Central Command did not
disclose the names of the ships involved, their flags, the nature of their
cargo, or the locations where they were intercepted and diverted. The new tally
demonstrates the continued expansion of US naval operations. On August 28,
CENTCOM announced that its forces had diverted 82 commercial vessels, bringing
the total to 86 by September 2, an increase of four ships. The number of vessels
that US forces said they had disabled remained at three, while the number of
vessels boarded by their forces remained at two. This latest tally follows a
wave of US strikes against military targets inside Iran. Central Command
announced that it had targeted sites belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps (IRGC), including air defenses, radar systems, naval facilities,
mine-laying capabilities, and communications sites. The naval confrontation is
particularly focused around the Strait of Hormuz, where Washington says its
forces are working to protect commercial shipping and prevent Iranian attacks on
it. US officials reported that approximately 40 ships transited the strait in
both directions on Tuesday, while US forces announced the interception of
anti-ship cruise missiles and drones that they said Iran launched toward ships
in the area. Officials also revealed to Axios that President Donald Trump's
administration has adopted a new "tanker-for-tanker" policy, after the US
military targeted two Iranian oil tankers in response to attacks attributed to
Tehran.
Trump Links Putin Meeting to Readiness for Ukraine Peace
Deal
Riyadh - Al Arabiya.net/September 2, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
US President Donald Trump opened the door to a new summit with his Russian
counterpart Vladimir Putin, but this time he linked the meeting to a genuine
readiness to reach a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine. Trump said on
Wednesday that he wants to hold a summit with Putin "when they are ready to make
a peace agreement on Ukraine," according to Reuters. This statement sets a clear
condition for any anticipated meeting between the two presidents, at a time when
negotiations to resolve the war remain stalled, despite ongoing communication
between Moscow and Washington. Putin had confirmed on Tuesday that communication
between the American and Russian sides is continuing, indicating that Moscow
does not oppose dealing with any party that can contribute positively to the
Ukraine negotiations. The Russian president also expressed his welcome to
working with US envoy Steve Wittkopf and Jared Kushner, emphasizing that Moscow
always welcomes American guests. However, Putin acknowledged that negotiations
on Ukraine are currently stalled, stressing that any new negotiations must
include concrete terms upon which to build a settlement. Trump's remarks came
after a rare visit by CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow in late August,
where he held talks with Russian intelligence officials. Putin commented on the
visit, saying that communication between US and Russian intelligence agencies
never ceased, even during the most difficult periods of the Cold War, indicating
that channels of communication remain open despite the disagreements between the
two countries. Nevertheless, a wide gap remains regarding the terms for ending
the war, while military operations and exchanges of fire between Russia and
Ukraine continue. Concurrently with talk of a possible summit, the verbal
confrontation between Moscow and Kyiv has escalated concerning the safety of
Russian civil aviation. Russian Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin said on
Wednesday that his country would not allow Ukraine to cause significant
disruption to civil aviation, emphasizing that Russian authorities are working
in coordination with the Ministry of Defense and the National Guard to counter
threats. This came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned airlines
and insurance companies that the presence of Ukrainian drones made Russian
airspace dangerous to use, effectively closing it off. Putin responded to
Zelensky's remarks by calling them a threat of "state terrorism," vowing that
Moscow would find a way to retaliate if they were carried out.
Paris Accuses Moscow of 'Hybrid Attacks' and Threatens
Sanctions / Paris Declares Solidarity with Berlin and Accuses Moscow of
Escalation Threatening European Security
Riyadh - Al-Arabiya.net / September 2, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
France summoned the Russian chargé d'affaires in Paris on Wednesday, declaring
its full solidarity with Germany after Berlin accused Moscow of responsibility
for what it described as serious incidents at Leipzig Airport. France also
confirmed its support for imposing new sanctions on Russia. The French Ministry
for Europe and Foreign Affairs stated that the Russian diplomat was summoned on
September 2nd at the request of Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, the day after
Germany announced Russia's responsibility for the incidents that occurred at
Leipzig Airport on August 4th. Paris condemned the Russian attacks in the
strongest terms, confirming that the Director of Continental European Affairs at
the Foreign Ministry informed the Russian chargé d'affaires of France's full
solidarity with Germany. The French Foreign Ministry escalated its rhetoric
towards Moscow, considering the increase in what it describes as "Russian hybrid
attacks" across Europe to be an "irresponsible escalation" by Russia. Paris
linked these activities to the war in Ukraine, arguing that they demonstrate the
conflict's repercussions are no longer confined to Ukrainian territory but now
pose a threat to the security of Europe as a whole. European countries use the
term "hybrid attacks" to describe a wide range of activities, including
cyberattacks, sabotage, interference with infrastructure, and disinformation
campaigns, without necessarily reaching the level of traditional military
confrontation. France affirmed its support for additional sanctions against
Russia, aimed at limiting its ability to continue military operations in Ukraine
and putting an end to what Paris termed "hostile acts." It also pledged to work
with its allies and partners to strengthen the protection of European states,
institutions, and citizens, and to enhance their capacity to counter hybrid
attacks and attempts at destabilization. At the same time, Paris reiterated
Ukraine's right to self-defense, emphasizing its continued support for Kyiv in
preserving its sovereignty and territorial integrity. It called on Moscow to end
the war, commit to a ceasefire, and engage in serious negotiations to achieve a
"just and lasting peace," asserting that Kyiv and its partners are ready for
this path.
Israel Releases Footage of Destruction of a Kilometer-Long
Tunnel in Gaza
Riyadh - Al-Arabiya.net / September 2, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
While Israeli military operations continue inside the Gaza Strip despite the
ceasefire agreement, the Israeli army released footage on Wednesday documenting
the destruction of a tunnel in the northern part of the Strip, amid an
escalation of violence in recent days. The Israeli army stated that forces from
the Northern Brigade of the 99th Division, in cooperation with fighters from the
Yahalom Engineering Unit, destroyed an underground tunnel approximately one
kilometer long in recent weeks. The army also noted that more than 26 kilometers
of underground tunnels east of the Green Line have been destroyed since the
ceasefire came into effect in October of last year. It is worth noting that
Hamas has constructed a vast and complex network of tunnels beneath the Gaza
Strip over the years, which, according to media reports and Israeli sources,
have been used to transport and store weapons and ammunition, conceal fighters,
and establish command and control centers. Some of these tunnels extend to
depths of 30 or 40 meters underground.
Riyadh - Al-Arabiya.net / September 2, 2026 Days earlier, US envoy Jared Kushner
said he hoped to make progress in implementing Trump's peace plan for the Gaza
Strip, including beginning the disarmament of Hamas within about 30 days and
dismantling some tunnels within 60 to 90 days. The release of these images comes
at a time of escalating violence in Gaza, coinciding with Israeli statements
confirming the continuation of military operations within the Strip. Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted on Wednesday that Israeli forces
would not withdraw from the Gaza Strip, stating in a televised address from the
Strip that the army currently controls about 60 percent of Gaza's area and that
this area will expand. Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz had previously
stated that about 70 percent of the Gaza Strip had been destroyed, claiming that
the areas under Israeli control were now free of tunnels and infrastructure, and
emphasizing that the Strip was under the control of Israeli forces. Meanwhile,
the ceasefire agreement reached in October 2015 with US support remains
officially in place, despite the continued incidents of gunfire and Israeli
military operations in the Strip. Israel says its military operations are aimed
at preventing potential attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian factions, while
Hamas accuses Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement and obstructing
efforts to implement the broader phase of US President Donald Trump's plan to
end the war in Gaza. The plan includes, among other things, the withdrawal of
Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and the disarmament of Hamas, points that
still face significant challenges to implementation on the ground.
Saudi Arabia condemns Iran’s targeting of vessel, attacks
on neighbors
Al Arabiya English/02 September ,2026
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday condemned Iran’s attack on a Saudi vessel in the
Strait of Hormuz in an incident that left two killed. The Saudi Foreign Ministry
said in a statement that the Kingdom condemns “Iran’s targeting of the Saudi
tanker (Sidr) while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which resulted in
fatalities among the tanker’s crew.” National shipping carrier Bahri confirmed
earlier today that the SIDR had been involved in a security incident while
transiting the strait earlier this week leading to the death of two
seafarers.The ministry also condemned Iranian attacks on Bahrain, Jordan and
Kuwait, affirming its full solidarity with the “brotherly countries and its
support for all measures they take to safeguard their security and sovereignty
against any threat.”“The Kingdom stresses the need to halt escalation and
respect the security and safety for international international navigation, the
security of global energy supplies, the principles of good neighborliness, the
sovereignty of states, the Charter of the United Nations, and international law
and norms.”Saudi Arabia, the ministry added, called on all parties exercise
restraint, halt escalation, respect international law, and return to
negotiations and peaceful solutions.
Saudi shipping carrier confirms security incident in Strait
of Hormuz, two killed
Al Arabiya English/02 September ,2026
Saudi Arabia’s national shipping carrier Bahri confirmed on Wednesday that one
of its vessels, the SIDR, had been involved in a security incident while
transiting the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week, adding that two seafarers
have been killed in the incident.
The carrier confirmed in a statement that the incident occurred on Monday around
11.40 p.m. local time. “It is with profound sadness that Bahri confirms the loss
of two of its Filipino seafarers as a result of the incident,” it read,
expressing condolences and sympathies to their “families, loved ones and
colleagues” and assuring it provides support to the families and colleagues
affected by it. Furthermore, it said that Bahri remained in contact with the
vessel and was coordinating closely with the relevant authorities and maritime
industry stakeholders in addition to “monitoring developments.”“The safety and
well-being of Bahri’s people remain its highest priority, and the company
remains committed to operating in accordance with the highest standards of
safety, security and environmental protection,” the statement concluded. The
Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy supply lines,
carrying about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas. Iran has
repeatedly attacked commercial vessels crossing the waterway in response to US
and Israeli strikes on its territory that began in February.
Xi says China willing to work with Mideast countries to ‘safeguard’ shipping:
State media
Al Arabiya English/02 September ,2026
Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that his country was willing to work
with countries in the Middle East to protect shipping, Beijing’s state media
said, as the US-Iran war upends maritime logistics from the region. “China
stands ready to work with countries in the region to safeguard the security of
international shipping lanes, advance development cooperation... and eliminate
the breeding grounds for conflict,” Xi told his Egyptian counterpart Abdel
Fattah al-Sisi during talks in Cairo, state news agency Xinhua reported.
‘External interference’ in Mideast should be opposed. Xi Jinping also told his
Egyptian counterpart that “external interference” in the Middle East should be
opposed, Beijing’s state media reported. “We must uphold the principle that the
people of the Middle East are the masters of their own affairs, oppose external
interference (and) support regional countries in strengthening dialogue on peace
and security,” Xi told al-Sisi, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.
Ahead of Trump Summit: Xi Jinping Maintains Distance
from Iranian President
China Balances Partnership with Tehran and Ties with Washington
Amid Iran's War and Escalating Trade Pressures Before Xi's Expected US Visit
Riyadh - Al Arabiya / September 2, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
Chinese President Xi Jinping maintained a calculated political distance from his
Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, during a regional security summit, a
move reflecting Beijing's cautious approach toward Tehran weeks before his
anticipated visit to Washington and meeting with US President Donald Trump. The
two leaders held a brief meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday, according to Iranian media.
The summit brought together the leaders of the ten member states of the
organization, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi. The semi-official Iranian news agency Mehr reported that
the talks addressed bilateral relations and ways to enhance cooperation between
Tehran and Beijing, without disclosing further details, according to CNBC, as
reported by Al Arabiya Business. China's handling of the meeting reflected a
clear desire to minimize its media impact. Chinese state media, including the
People's Daily, the official newspaper of the Communist Party, ignored the
meeting, despite extensive coverage of Xi Jinping's meetings with other leaders.
In contrast, Modi released photos of his meeting with the Iranian president. Han
Xinlin, executive director of the Greater China region at the Asia Group,
observed that Xi was "keeping Iran at a public distance while maintaining
communication behind closed doors," suggesting Beijing's attempt to balance its
conflicting interests. In a joint statement, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
member states condemned the military strikes on Iran and affirmed the right of
member states to develop civilian nuclear programs under the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty, without offering any concrete military or economic
commitments to support Tehran. The lack of official coverage of the Xi-Pezeshkian
meeting reinforced the impression that China is carefully managing the political
messages surrounding its relationship with Iran, seeking to maintain its
strategic partnership with Tehran without appearing to favor it, especially
ahead of a planned meeting between Xi and Trump later this month. Although China
is the largest buyer of sanctioned Iranian oil, its imports have declined
significantly since the war began, with Beijing drawing on its vast reserves
instead of relying on supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Alfredo
Montovar-Hillo, managing director of Ancora China Advisors, noted that Beijing
has expressed growing displeasure with Tehran's behavior, repeatedly calling for
an end to the conflict and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, while the
Iranian leadership has taken a different approach. He added that the recent
Chinese stance represents "a clear signal of dissatisfaction with Tehran."
Montovar-Hillo also pointed out that Xi Jinping's informal conversation with the
Iranian president demonstrates that Beijing remains keen to keep communication
channels open and avoid severing ties with its regional ally. This Chinese
caution comes at a time when Beijing is facing increasing pressure from
Washington, after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bisnett, at a G20 finance
ministers' meeting, pushed for addressing what the US describes as industrial
overcapacity and trade imbalances. Bisnett did not name China directly, but he
emphasized that the finance ministers agreed on the need to address these
imbalances. Chinese exports contributed to pushing the country's trade surplus
to a record $1.2 trillion last year, drawing increasing criticism from the West.
Dan Wang, China director at the Eurasia Group, believes that Beijing and
Washington are seeking to "maximize their leverage" ahead of Xi Jinping's visit
to the United States. She argues that the meeting with Iran serves as a reminder
to Washington of the extent of Chinese influence in the Iran-Iraq War and across
the Global South. Wang predicts that the Iran-Iraq War will top the agenda of
the upcoming Trump-Xi summit, warning that any US move to expand secondary
sanctions on Chinese banks or companies could push Beijing to adopt a more
hardline stance toward Washington.
Biden-appointed US judge blocks Trump’s newest order
limiting birthright citizenship
Reuters/03 September ,2026
A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a
new executive order limiting the number of people eligible for birthright
citizenship that President Donald Trump issued after the US Supreme Court
rejected his previous effort. US District Judge Deborah Boardman in Greenbelt,
Maryland, issued a preliminary injunction at the request of immigrant rights
advocates who had last year secured a ruling from her blocking the Trump
administration from enforcing his initial 2025 executive order curtailing
birthright citizenship. The US Supreme Court on June 30 rejected that initial
effort to end birthright citizenship for children whose parents were not
American citizens or legal permanent residents, known as green card holders,
finding it violated the citizenship clause of the US Constitution’s 14th
Amendment. The clause confers citizenship to those born in the United States who
are “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.”Following that decision, Trump signed
a new order on August 6 that took particular aim at “birth tourism,” in which
women travel to the United States to give birth so their children can obtain
automatic citizenship. Citizenship would also be denied to children if one of
their parents works for foreign governments in the United States, engaged in
fraud or a commercial transaction to obtain citizenship, or is classified as an
“alien enemy.”After he signed that order, lawyers pursuing a class-action
lawsuit on behalf of babies who would be deprived citizenship under Trump’s 2025
order asked Boardman to block enforcement of the Republican president’s newest
order, and ensure their clients’ citizenship continued to be honored. The
plaintiffs included the immigrant rights groups CASA and Asylum Seeker Advocacy
Project, which had last year convinced Boardman to become one of four
lower-court judges to block Trump’s initial order prior to the Supreme Court
ruling. Boardman, an appointee of Democratic President Joe Biden, at a hearing
on Friday declined to immediately block Trump’s newest order. But she expressed
skepticism of it and allowed the plaintiffs to revise their lawsuit so she could
consider whether to block what she called an “unprecedented” order. Justice
Department attorneys argued that a restraining order was inappropriate in this
case, as Trump’s order was more narrow than the sweeping one the plaintiffs had
first sued over. They also called the lawsuit premature, saying federal agencies
had yet to issue the necessary public guidance detailing how the president’s
directive would be implemented, which they are expected to do by September 5.
Any legal challenge should wait until then, the administration argued.
Chevron, ENI sign major Venezuela deals
AFP, Caracas/02 September ,2026
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright oversaw the signing of deals between Venezuela
and oil majors Chevron and ENI as well as energy company GE Vernova to ramp up
their operations in the country.Speaking alongside interim President Delcy
Rodriguez, Wright said the deals represented “tens of billions of dollars of
investment” and were “critical in starting this ball rolling of peace,
opportunity, and prosperity for everyone in Venezuela.”
The Latest LCCC analysis & editorials from
miscellaneous sources published
on September 02-03/2026
Israel-Turkey backchannel dries up; Erdogan turns up heat on Greece:
‘They would hear us’
Itamar Eichner/Ynet News/September 02/2026
Senior official says Azerbaijan-mediated contacts with Ankara have declined as
tensions rise; Turkish president warns Athens to stop arming islands near Turkey
after Israeli arms deal: 'Greece must turn back from this wrong path'
Israel does not consider Turkey an enemy but increasingly views it as a rival, a
senior Israeli diplomatic official said Wednesday, amid growing tensions over
Syria, Turkish naval activity in the Mediterranean and Ankara’s economic, legal
and diplomatic measures against Israel.
“Turkey is not an enemy state, but it is certainly a rival,” the official said.
“It has taken steps against us in the economic, legal and diplomatic spheres.”
The official said Azerbaijan, which maintains close relations with both Israel
and Turkey, had previously served at times as a channel for messages between the
two countries, but that such contacts had become less frequent. “I would say
that has been happening less recently,” the official said. Asked about reports
of increased Turkish naval activity near areas where the Israeli navy operates
in the Mediterranean, and whether the two sides had experienced friction, the
official played down the prospect of a military confrontation.
“I don’t think anyone wants to reach an exchange of fire — neither the Turks nor
us,” the official said.
Tensions rise over Syria
Relations between Israel and Turkey have deteriorated sharply in recent years,
particularly since the war in Gaza, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
emerging as one of Israel’s most vocal critics and expressing support for Hamas.
Erdogan has repeatedly leveled harsh accusations against Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, at one point comparing him to Adolf Hitler. Last month, Turkey sought
an Interpol “red notice” against Netanyahu.
Tensions have risen further following an Israeli strike last month on the Abu
al-Duhur military airfield in northern Syria’s Idlib region, not far from the
Turkish border.
Netanyahu said the strike was intended to prevent Turkey from establishing a
military presence at the base. Ankara denied that it was seeking to do so.
The episode has heightened concerns that Israel and Turkey, whose interests
increasingly overlap in Syria and the eastern Mediterranean, could find
themselves on a collision course.
Against that backdrop, Israel has been strengthening its ties with Greece and
Cyprus, both of which have longstanding disputes with Turkey and concerns about
Ankara’s growing military power. The Defense Ministry announced Monday that it
had completed a major arms agreement with Greece known as “Achilles Shield.”
Under the deal, the Greek Defense Ministry will acquire a multilayered Israeli
air defense system that includes Rafael’s David’s Sling and Spyder systems and
Israel Aerospace Industries’ BARAK MX.
The agreement is valued at about 3.1 billion euros and is the largest Israeli
defense export deal with Greece and one of the largest defense export agreements
in Israel’s history, according to the Defense Ministry.
The ministry said it was the first time Israel had agreed to provide another
country with a comprehensive defense architecture designed to counter threats
ranging from ballistic missiles and airstrikes to hostile drones.
The agreement also includes Israel Aerospace Industries’ MMR multimission radars
for air surveillance and a new national command-and-control system led by Rafael
that will integrate Greece’s various air defense capabilities.
Erdogan warns Greece over islands
Erdogan, meanwhile, issued a warning to Athens over what he described as
Greece’s militarization of islands near Turkey’s coast.
Speaking to reporters aboard his plane while returning from an international
summit in Kyrgyzstan, Erdogan was asked about the alleged arming of the islands.
“What should we do? What is our responsibility? To do what is necessary,”
Erdogan said, according to Turkey’s Hurriyet newspaper.
“We say that we want to conduct our relations with Greece on the basis of good
neighborliness,” he said. “If we wanted to send a message from mainland Turkey,
from Kas, to Greece — they would hear it, wouldn’t they?”
Kas is a Turkish coastal town only a few miles from the small Greek island of
Kastellorizo in the southeastern Aegean.
Erdogan said Turkey had taken a constructive approach toward Greece but had
often not seen its goodwill reciprocated.
“Greece needs to understand this: Turkey has no designs on the territory of any
country, but it will not allow anyone to violate its own rights,” Erdogan said.
He accused Greece of disregarding international agreements governing the status
of certain islands and warned that interpreting Turkey’s restraint as weakness
would be “a grave mistake.”
“Greece must turn back from this wrong path and abandon the militarization of
islands that have demilitarized status,” Erdogan said. “History is a very good
guide for those who learn from it. We will continue to work for peace, security
and stability in our region.”
There was no indication Erdogan’s comments Wednesday were directly connected to
the Israeli arms deal.
Israel claims success against European pressure
The senior Israeli official also addressed Israel’s increasingly strained
relationship with Europe, saying Jerusalem had spent the past year and a half
fighting efforts to weaken its Association Agreement with the European Union,
which provides the framework for extensive economic and trade relations between
Israel and the 27-nation bloc.
The official said efforts to take action against the agreement, including at the
latest meeting of EU ministers, had failed because of intensive Israeli
diplomacy and support from friendly European governments.
“All the attempts failed as a result of an intensive effort and a bloc of
friendly countries with close personal ties — with foreign ministers and heads
of state who opposed moves other countries were trying to advance,” the official
said.
The official pointed to a recent attempt to secure a unified EU statement
criticizing Israel’s E1 settlement construction plan in the West Bank. Two
countries blocked the statement, the official said, leaving EU foreign policy
chief Kaja Kallas to issue a statement in her own name rather than on behalf of
all member states.
“There are countries in the European Union — a double-digit number — that are
standing with Israel during a challenging period,” the official said.
Israeli official dismisses criticism of E1 plan
The official also rejected criticism that construction in the E1 area, between
Jerusalem and the West Bank settlement of Maale Adumim, was intended to prevent
the establishment of a future Palestinian state. The official called that
argument “ridiculous,” despite Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a leading
advocate of the project, having explicitly presented preventing Palestinian
statehood as one of its goals.
The E1 project has drawn international opposition for years because construction
there could disrupt territorial contiguity between Palestinian areas in the
northern and southern West Bank and complicate prospects for a viable
Palestinian state.
“I tell European foreign ministers that the argument about a Palestinian state
is ridiculous,” the official said, arguing that the Palestinian state recognized
by some European countries would already be geographically divided between the
West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
“What is the expectation? That we accept the dictate and say that we no longer
have the right to settle the Land of Israel?” the official said. “Since 1967,
every government, without exception, has settled Judea and Samaria, including
left-wing governments.”
Judea and Samaria is the biblical term used by Israel for the West Bank.
The official described connecting Jerusalem with Maale Adumim as an Israeli
consensus and said the E1 project dated to the government of former prime
minister Yitzhak Rabin.
The proposal, however, was first presented before Rabin returned to office, in
1990. Although Rabin’s government initially expressed support for construction
in the area, the plan was later frozen as the Israeli-Palestinian peace process
advanced.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hyhnpnrufx#google_vignette
Canada gave contracts to Iran VP’s son while investigating role in regime
missile program
Stewart Bell Global News Global News/September 02/2026
https://globalnews.ca/news/12040736/iran-vp-son-edmonton-awarded-government-contracts-csis-investigation-missiles/
The Canadian government awarded millions worth of contracts to the son of Iran’s
former vice-president, despite an ongoing investigation into allegations he
helped the Islamic Republic evade sanctions and develop missile systems,
documents obtained by Global News reveal.
Since founding two companies in Alberta, an Edmonton resident named “Sal
Ghafouri” has received more than $2 million in federal and provincial contracts,
including from the RCMP and Department of National Defence, public records show.
The 45-year-old was part of an official Canadian trade mission to Latin America,
received a federal business grant and was invited to “propose legislation” to
the Alberta government at consultations backed by the province’s economic
development minister.
But according to newly released records, Ghafouri is actually Mohammad Reza
Ghafouri Fard, an Iranian who has been the subject of a long-running Canadian
investigation into his alleged work for Iran’s military and Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The son of Hassan Ghafouri Fard, an Iranian politician who served as the
country’s vice president, Ghafouri was “involved in the research and development
of Iranian military technologies,” according to a recently declassified Canadian
Security Intelligence Service report. Before immigrating to Canada in 2013 and
going into business as “Sal,” Ghafouri allegedly helped develop a guided
anti-aircraft missile system and a jamming tool to “confront American aircraft”
for the Iranian military and Revolutionary Guard, or IRGC.
He was also part of a “covert procurement structure” that used a front company
in Southeast Asia to purchase components that were needed for Iranian military
projects, CSIS alleged in its report detailing his alleged past work for the
regime forces.
The allegations concern the four years CSIS alleges Ghafouri worked as an
engineer at Iranian company Rabi Kosar, which the report said sold its products
to SA Iran, a satellite of the Iranian Ministry of Defence, which in turn
provided them to the military and IRGC.
Ghafouri “admitted to active participation in procurement activities that
benefited the Iranian military, including the IRGC,” the CSIS Security Screening
Branch wrote in its Jan. 13, 2023 report on Ghafouri.
The procurement network was needed because the materials were not available to
Iran due to sanctions, but “Ghafouri Fard clearly indicated that he did not care
that these activities were prohibited,” CSIS added.
After moving to Alberta through the government’s skilled worker program,
Ghafouri returned to Iran in 2015 and met twice with members of Iran’s Ministry
of Intelligence and Security, or MOIS, the CSIS report also said.
“During Mr. Ghafouri Fard’s first meeting with the MOIS, he provided details of
his employment in Canada,” according to the CSIS report, marked “secret” but
recently made public in court.
“He was asked if he travelled to the U.S. and whether he had contacts with
either Canadian or American intelligence services,” added the report, which
noted he was a permanent resident of Canada at the time he met the MOIS.
“During the second meeting, he was given detailed instructions and warnings, as
they related to police or intelligence services approaching him while living in
Canada,” it said.
“He was advised to never travel to the U.S., as he would be of interest to the
Federal Bureau of Investigation due to his involvement with Rabi Kosar,” it
said, adding he thanked the Iranian agents for the “heads up.”
The report, which CSIS shared with immigration investigators more than three
years ago, noted that “one of the functions of the MOIS outside of Iran is to
acquire technology for Iran’s military industry.”
Canada launched a crackdown on Iranian regime officials living in the country in
2022 and has been attempting to deport them along with others who have aided
Tehran as it has repressed its citizens and sponsored terrorist groups.
But the Ghafouri case stands out for the seriousness of the allegations about
his suspected role in Iranian weapons proliferation, the length of time it has
taken the government to act and his extensive contract work for Canadian
agencies.
“This is yet another example of the way Canada has failed to take seriously the
threat,” said Iranian-Canadian human rights activist Kaveh Shahrooz, who
reviewed the CSIS report on Ghafouri for Global News.
“Our politicians pay a lot of lip service to countering the Iranian regime’s
nefarious influence in Canada. But cases like this show that we fail to conduct
even the most basic due diligence on those with strong, direct ties to Iran’s
regime.”
CSIS declined to comment. It shared its security screening report on Ghafouri
with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, which also declined to
comment.
In May 2026, the immigration department informed Ghafouri it was launching
proceedings to deny him from obtaining citizenship on the grounds that he is a
“threat to the security of Canada.”
Ghafouri did not respond to questions. His lawyer, Bjorna Shkurti, said she
could not comment because the matter was before the court.
“What I can say is that my client has lived in Canada for over a decade and has
undergone multiple security screenings, both as a temporary resident and as a
permanent resident,” she said. “He strongly disputes the allegations made
against him and intends to pursue all available legal avenues until the matter
is fully resolved.”
None of the federal government agencies that gave contracts to Ghafouri’s
companies responded to requests for comment by deadline.
But records show that while Ghafouri was flagged by immigration investigators
for national security reasons in 2017, he nonetheless went on to win government
procurement contracts, including two worth more than $1.5-million from the
Canadian military.
Even after CSIS completed its security screening report in 2023 and sent it to
immigration authorities handling his case, Ghafouri’s companies continued to
benefit from federal money.
In 2024, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada awarded Melanite
Group a $15,000 grant “to adopt new technologies.” Six months later, the company
won another contract from the Canadian Armed Forces.
The case suggests that Canadian agencies are not talking to each other, said
University of Ottawa political science Prof. Thomas Juneau, who specializes in
Iran and national security and reviewed the CSIS report for Global News.
“To some degree, these processes and silos are necessary if we want the system
to be fair and not arbitrary,” he said. “But the system just goes to the other
extreme.”
“I mean, it’s absurd,” he said.
Juneau said he had interviewed three dozen Iranian-Canadians for a forthcoming
book on transnational repression.
“And one thing that constantly came up was the presence of regime,
regime-adjacent and regime family members here.”
A son of the regime in Halifax
Iranian-backed militia in Iraq sets ‘conditions’ for
disarmament
Seth J. Frantzman/FDD's Long War Journal/September 01/2026 |
Kataib Sayyid al Shuhada, an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq, has set conditions
for placing its arms under the control of the Iraqi government. Iraqi Prime
Minister Ali al Zaidi has sought to consolidate the arms of numerous
Iranian-backed militias under state control. The attempt to disarm or regulate
the weapons of these groups comes amid US pressure and a September 30 deadline
for US troops who are part of the anti-Islamic State coalition to leave Iraq.
Relatedly, on August 31, Iraq sentenced an Iraqi militia member to 15 years in
prison for the kidnapping of US journalist Shelly Kittelson.
On August 29, Shafaq News reported that “Kataib Sayyid Al-Shuhada [KSS], an
Iran-aligned faction within the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), said on
Saturday that its participation in efforts to bring weapons under state control
would depend on meeting 10 conditions, including the withdrawal of US and
Turkish forces from Iraq.” KSS put out a statement on August 29 about its
conditions.
Among the group’s demands are the complete withdrawal of US forces by September
30. In addition, the militia wants to see legislation passed that will provide
rights for members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The PMF is a
government-backed paramilitary force that is made up of numerous militias, many
of which are backed by Iran. “The group also called for full federal control
over Iraqi territory, stronger air defenses equipped with advanced systems
operated solely under Iraqi authority, and the removal of Kurdistan Workers’
Party (PKK) fighters and Turkish troops from northern Iraq,” Shafaq noted.KSS
was sanctioned by the US as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group in
2023. In April 2026, the US offered $10 million, as part of the Rewards for
Justice program, for information on KSS’s leader. The group is one of at least
five militias in Iraq that have refused to disarm. Iraq’s Alssaa online outlet
noted on August 30 that, in addition to KSS, the other groups refusing to disarm
are Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba. These groups are also
members of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which has been behind attacks on US
forces in Iraq.
The role of these militias was again in the spotlight on August 31 after an
Iraqi court sentenced a militia member to 15 years in prison for kidnapping an
American journalist in late March. “A Baghdad court has sentenced a member of
the powerful Kataib Hezbollah militia to 15 years in prison for his role in the
kidnapping of American journalist Shelly Rene Kittleson earlier this year, in a
ruling that underscores Iraq’s attempt to assert state authority over
Iran-backed armed groups,” the UAE-based The National noted. Iraq convicted Amir
Rahim Jabbar Lazim under the country’s Anti-Terrorism Law, Kittleson posted on
August 31.Hadi al Amiri, the head of the influential Badr Organization, which
controls a number of brigades within the PMF, said on August 30 that there would
be no confrontation between the government and the militias. He referred to the
militias as “the resistance,” which is the same language Iran uses to describe
these groups.“Regulating weapons is not a foreign decision, but an entirely
Iraqi one. Regulating weapons is a legitimate national and constitutional
objective and a foundation for building a strong state capable of protecting
Iraq and safeguarding its security, sovereignty and dignity,” Amiri said,
according to a report by Kurdistan24. Unlike KSS and many of the other militias,
Badr has not been sanctioned by the US as a terrorist group.
Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a
contributor to FDD’s Long War Journal. He is the senior Middle East
correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, and author of The October 7
War: Israel’s Battle for Security in Gaza (2024).
The Axis of Aggressors Is Getting Ready for War. Is America?
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This Is Beirut/September 01/2026
America has grown addicted to the phrase “wars of choice,” often using it to
vilify the U.S. government for campaigns deemed unnecessary. Wholesale
skepticism of military power, however, undermines Washington’s ability to defend
the homeland against surprise attacks like Pearl Harbor and 9/11. America might
not choose war, but war will likely choose America, at home and around the
world.
In “Axis of Aggressors,” my Foundation for Defense of Democracies colleagues
Brad Bowman, Elaine Dezenski, and Mark Montgomery examine how China, Russia,
Iran, and North Korea cooperate across multiple domains. These regimes
supplement each other’s military production while building parallel financial
networks to bypass Western economic tools. Together, their economic weight
approaches a quarter of global GDP.
Western policymakers long managed these nations as isolated regional challenges.
As detailed in national security assessments, however, these four authoritarian
regimes have systematically set aside ideological differences. This Axis
utilizes alternative financial platforms, illicit trade networks, and shared
military technologies to blunt international pressure and challenge the
rules-based order. A primary engine of this collaboration is a shadow economic
system engineered to evade sanctions. Jurisdictions such as Malaysia and Turkey
play structurally distinct but mutually reinforcing roles in sustaining Axis
trade.
In global energy markets, Malaysia has emerged as a key relabeling hub for
Iranian oil, with Chinese customs data showing imports from Malaysia far
exceeding the country’s production. China reported importing 1.3 million barrels
per day of “Malaysian” oil in 2025, more than twice Malaysia’s total daily
production of 535,000 barrels in 2024, as “Axis of Aggressors” notes. The book
points to additional examples of sanctions evasion. “Turkey has become a top
buyer of Russian oil products and a major conduit for parallel imports, while
Hong Kong has evolved into a high-risk transshipment and financing center for
restricted technologies bound for Russia,” according to “Axis of Aggressors.”
“Central Asian states serve both as Russia’s backdoor for battlefield goods and
as a logistics corridor for China’s long-term sanctions resilience,” it adds.
To break their reliance on the U.S. dollar, China and Russia are developing
parallel financial messaging systems. While these alternative networks remain
fragile compared to the U.S.-based Clearing House Interbank Payments System,
which settles approximately $1.8 trillion daily, China’s Cross-Border Interbank
Payment System “processed roughly $24.5 trillion in transactions in 2024 — a 24
percent increase in volume and a 43 percent increase in value from the prior
year — and now connects more than 5,000 financial institutions across 190
countries.”
Meanwhile, Russia’s System for Transfer of Financial Messages connects “177
financial institutions from 24 countries,” and its integration with Iran’s
financial system has created a “sanctions-resistant payment corridor between two
of the world’s most heavily sanctioned economies.” This economic defiance funds
aggressive efforts to undermine the U.S. domestic front through information
warfare.
Axis adversaries conduct sustained influence operations seeking to “divide and
distract Americans and deceive them into believing the United States has no
interests in the outcomes in Taiwan, Ukraine, and Israel.” Compounding this
challenge, U.S. government efforts to counter foreign malign influence have been
dismantled, leaving them hamstrung.
The book notes how key government agencies have been weakened, including the
FBI’s Foreign Malign Influence Task Force, the State Department’s Global
Engagement Center, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s
Foreign Malign Influence Center. This domestic vulnerability coincides with a
shifting global military balance.
“The Pentagon estimates that China possesses approximately 600 warheads and is
on track to have more than 1,000 warheads by 2030,” the book notes.
With Russia continuing to “modernize and diversify” the largest nuclear arsenal
in the world, the U.S. faces “the prospect of deterring two nuclear-armed peer
adversaries at the same time.” Despite these threats, U.S. defense spending has
fallen to near post-World War II lows as a percentage of GDP. Bipartisan
commissions warn that insufficient budgets have crippled the defense industrial
base, leaving the nation unprepared for a major war.
To reverse this decline, Washington must shift both resource allocation and
strategic posture. Rebuilding deterrence requires a historic increase in defense
spending, bringing core military spending to 3.5 percent of GDP.
In the Indo-Pacific, where U.S. advantages have severely eroded, “Axis of
Aggressors” argues that a strategy of denial along the First Island Chain,
stretching from Japan southward through Taiwan and Indonesia, is urgently
needed. This posture must be “more mobile, networked, dispersed, survivable, and
lethal,” strengthening the U.S. presence in Japan and the Philippines while
securing a larger inventory of “air and missile defense interceptors as well as
advanced air-, sea-, and ground-launched long-range precision
munitions.”Washington can no longer afford to view global flashpoints in
isolation. The burgeoning Axis of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea has
proved that economic insulation, information warfare, and military expansion are
part of a singular, synchronized campaign to dethrone Western leadership.
Preserving the international rules-based order demands that American leaders
move past partisan divisions and old bureaucratic inertia to make necessary,
long-term investments in America’s military-industrial base. The inability to
refill depleted air defense interceptors, whether in Ukraine, Israel, or Kuwait,
offers ample evidence that the U.S. and its allies are unprepared. As the world
heats up, Washington should do all it can to abandon its unjustifiably relaxed
posture. If the U.S. wants peace, the saying goes, it must prepare for war.
*Hussain Abdul-Hussain is a research fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of
Democracies and a columnist focusing on Lebanon and broader Arab affairs.
Treasury Sanctioned Palestinian Terror Group Masar Badil.
Its Allies Should Be the Next Targets.
Ryan Wohl and Brandy Shufutinsky/Policy Brief/September 01/2026
Sanctioning a terrorist front accomplishes little if the same network can
operate through the work of its allies. On August 26, the U.S. Treasury
Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Masar Badil —
also known as the Palestinian Alternative Revolutionary Path Movement — as a
front for Samidoun, itself a front for the Popular Front for the Liberation of
Palestine (PFLP). Founded in 1967, the PFLP is a U.S.-designated Foreign
Terrorist Organization whose armed wing took part in the October 7, 2023,
attack. Treasury also sanctioned two of Masar Badil’s leaders, Germany-based
Zaid Abdulnasser and Brazil-based Rawa Alsagheer.
The action closes a gap left open when the United States and Canada jointly
sanctioned Samidoun in October 2024. Rather than disbanding, Samidoun migrated
its work to Masar Badil, a newer, undesignated vehicle founded in 2021 by
figures including PFLP leader and U.S.-designated terrorist Khaled Barakat.
Treasury now describes Masar Badil and Samidoun as “inextricably linked,”
sharing fundraising mechanisms and overlapping executive committees.
Blacklisting a name did not dismantle the network.
Masar Badil’s Presence on U.S. Soil
In July 2025, a Masar Badil-led delegation visited Iran’s mission to the United
Nations in New York in a demonstration of solidarity following Tehran’s 12-Day
War with Israel. Masar Badil’s youth and student arm, Tariq el-Tahrir, organizes
on U.S. campuses. In June, its Seattle chapter hosted the son of slain Hezbollah
commander Imad Mughniyeh, who praised his father’s role in the 1983 Beirut
bombing that killed 241 U.S. service members. After two Israeli embassy staffers
were murdered in Washington in May 2025, Tariq el-Tahrir organized an open
letter signed by 21 organizations praising the murders as “fully justified” and
“morally righteous.”
Treasury Action Does Not Explicitly Address Group’s Youth Wing, Allies
In its designation of Masar Badil, Treasury identifies neither Tariq el-Tahrir
nor allies, such as Nidal and Al-Ahrar, as part of the group. Nidal is active in
Seattle and New York while Al-Ahrar has a presence in New York, New Jersey, and
Toronto. Also absent from Treasury’s announcement were two figures central to
Masar Badil’s U.S. operations — Bissan Barghouti, who led Samidoun Seattle and
now runs Nidal Seattle, and Barakat’s wife, Samidoun coordinator Charlotte Kates.
Enforcing the Sanctions
OFAC has generally refrained in recent practice from designating U.S. persons —
though no statute or published policy forbids it, which may explain Treasury’s
omission of Barghouti and Kates. Other tools remain. Both individuals fall
within U.S. jurisdiction: sanctions rules define a “U.S. person” to include U.S.
citizens and permanent residents wherever located, U.S.-organized entities, and
anyone located in the United States. As noted, Barghouti runs Nidal Seattle,
while NBC News describes Kates as a New Jersey native and Rutgers Law School
graduate who lives in Vancouver.
Violating sanctions carries civil penalties, and criminal ones when willful.
Separately, providing material support to the PFLP or Hezbollah (both designated
Foreign Terrorist Organizations) is a federal crime, and that liability attaches
to conduct here regardless of nationality. In April, SUPER UW, a student group
that promotes events alongside Nidal Seattle, urged supporters to “materially
support” the “Lebanese resistance,” a phrase that usually refers to Hezbollah
(although SUPER UW denied this). Thanks to Treasury’s designation, providing
funds or services to Masar Badil now exposes allied groups and individuals like
Barghouti and Kates to civil penalties and, where violations are willful,
criminal prosecution. Canada should also investigate whether the Vancouver-based
Kates has violated its terror laws. Although these groups are not themselves
designated, universities and payment processors should be cautious about
transacting with them, ensuring that the funds they handle and the events they
host do not benefit a blocked entity. The next test of Ottawa’s determination is
imminent: Masar Badil is convening a conference in Toronto this November to mark
the third anniversary of October 7. Washington should make clear to its northern
neighbor that vigilance is essential. A designation is only as strong as the
enforcement behind it.
*Ryan Wohl is a research associate at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
(FDD). Brandy Shufutinsky is director of the Education and National Security
Program at FDD. For more analysis from the authors and FDD, please subscribe
HERE. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research
institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.
The Gulf Muslim Brotherhood: Which State Do They Want?
Sawsan Al-Shaer/Al-Bayan/September 2, 2026 (Google translation from
Arabic)
Although the Arab Muslim Brotherhood's stance on the Iranian war against the
Gulf states is predictable, and as usual, shameful, disgraceful, and suspicious,
what is even more shameful is the Gulf states' stance towards them. This stance
has proven and confirmed that the Brotherhood's project is no different from the
Iranian regime's project. Both projects unequivocally aim for the downfall of
the Gulf state as a common goal, paving the way for the establishment of their
imagined state.The question arises: Will the state they envision achieve greater
prosperity? Or greater economic growth? We thought
that the last segment of society that could be lured and deceived by
organizations working to overthrow the Gulf states' regimes would be the Gulf
citizens themselves. This is because this segment enjoys a standard of living
that all the peoples of the region aspire to, including the Iranian people. So
how were they lured and convinced that they were defending religion and Islam by
opposing their own countries' regimes?So, what is this promising model that the
Gulf states are supposedly meant to emulate? The numbers speak for themselves,
and the lived reality testifies to what the ruling regimes in the Gulf states
have provided for their people, and what Iran has provided for its people—a
country whose terrorism they are afraid to acknowledge and with which they
sympathize.
Any content published by them on any Muslim Brotherhood platform or account—if
any exists—since Iran began its war on the Gulf states, avoids direct and clear
condemnation of the Iranian regime.
And if some are forced to, you will find them softening their stance and working
to dilute the reaction by involving Israel in that content, so that the blame is
distributed and the position is confused between Iran and Israel, thus
preventing Iran from bearing the sole responsibility. We cannot overlook their
inaction in this war, which was revealing, a turning point, and a moment of
clarity that illuminated any dark or ambiguous area surrounding the Iranian
expansionist project. That war stripped the Iranian regime of its religious
legitimacy, after it attacked those who hadn't attacked it, declared war on
peaceful nations, and targeted civilian targets, revealing its hateful,
terrorist nature towards the Gulf peoples. This was a glaring light exposing the
falsehood of claims cloaked in religious garb. Yet, this thunderbolt failed to
awaken any of the Brotherhood sympathizers from their slumber. Observe their
pronouncements, if they speak at all, and pay attention to two crucial points:
they are either silent, withdrawn, and absent from the scene, or if they do
speak, you will find them still focusing on Israel and attacking it, avoiding
any mention of Iran. They may mislead us with talk of homelands, but it is
impossible for them to raise the banner of the state.
And here's the second point: their ideology differentiates between homeland and
state. You'll find them defending the land if necessary, but not the state. For
them, the homeland is merely land, and there's no harm in defending it amidst
their defense of their imagined state, which they strive to establish. They
simply avoid mentioning the state. The state is a political system and
institutions that define the national geographical area, and for them, the Gulf
regimes are obstacles to unifying the homelands under their banner, which would
include the Supreme Guide and the highest authority.
These are mere pipe dreams, completely detached from reality. They might appeal
to someone despairing of life, someone who blames their regimes for their misery
and unhappiness. But the question for the Gulf Muslim Brotherhood member is:
what does he want from the state he envisions?
The Gulf Muslim Brotherhood's stance when asked about the state they desire
reminds me of a nurse who turns on the lights and makes a noise to wake a
patient, even though he was fast asleep. When asked why, she replies, "Because
it's time for his sleeping pill!"
Selected Face Book & X tweets
on September 02/2026
Maya Khadra
Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri asserts: "Hezbollah is a Lebanese
formation. If Iran supports it, that in no way cancels its 'Lebaneseness'."
Outrageous statements that contrast with the declarations of Lebanese Foreign
Minister Youssef Raggi, for whom Hezbollah, both political and military, is an
offshoot of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
Since then, Raggi has been excluded from all trips and diplomatic missions led
by President Joseph Aoun. All the more so, as he is at the root of the decision
to declare the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon persona non grata. And most
recently, Raggi was sidelined from the 65th anniversary of the Belgrade
Conference of the "Non-Aligned Movement," in favor of Defense Minister Michel
Menassa, who represented President Aoun at Khamenei's funeral (not without
sparking widespread criticism in Lebanon).
Lack of coherence within the same government and unilateralism in the exercise
of power.
Lebanon is not only at a security impasse vis-à-vis Hezbollah but is also going
through a crisis in the exercise of power and a crisis of democracy.
Erick Stakelbeck
https://x.com/ErickStakelbeck/status/2094950123528736902/video/1
Islamic armies spent centuries attacking the West—conquering Spain, Greece,
Hungary, Sicily and even driving into central France and to the gates of Vienna
before being turned back.
And now so-called Western “leaders” think they can import millions upon millions
of Muslim migrants into their societies—but this time it will be different.
“Trust us! Coexist bumper stickers for everyone!” Anyone who knows the history
of Islam and the West knows this doesn’t end well.
Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו
https://x.com/netanyahu/status/2095129832652685402/video/1
I'm here in the Gaza Strip. Gantz wanted us to surrender and get out of here -
good thing I didn't listen to him. Today we control the area and are holding
this line. We have more work to complete and we will complete it - until Hamas
is disarmed and Gaza is demilitarized. Gaza will no longer pose a threat to
Israel!
Tom Harb
Most of the rank & file soldiers still hold loyalty to Lebanon’s sovereignty.
That much can be true.But the military council and the leadership at the top are
complicit with Hezbollah. That is the reality. No more justifications. No more
carefully worded denials. The pattern is clear, and the public sees it.@LebarmyOfficial
Open Source Intel
The Lebanese Armed Forces have issued a written response to reports that
Lebanese officers oppose an IDF withdrawal from southern Lebanon at this stage,
out of fear Hezbollah would return to those areas.
Leviathan
https://x.com/l3v1at4an/status/2095127097576751325/video/1
Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks at a mosque recalling how his daughter Kayla is
married to a man named Muhammad & as long as he’s good to her he won’t have to
kill him.
Good times shared in a province seeing Jews fleeing to the US due to rising
antisemitism.