Analysis UAE gauges new Lebanon deals amid Levant economic stabilization push Beirut welcomed a high-level business delegation from the UAE in late August as Abu Dhabi pursues new regional economic engagement amid Iran's waning influence. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis Israel’s Lebanon dilemma: Confront Hezbollah without angering Trump, triggering Iran Israeli sources point out that the pilot project for Israel's withdrawal and the Lebanese military taking control over the area is not working because of the government's reluctance to search for Hezbollah's weapons in private homes. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran sets conditions for reopening Strait of Hormuz Syria, Saudi Arabia to establish joint bank; Lebanon, UAE ink deals, deepen economic ties; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Lebanon, UAE ink deals, deepen economic ties on Emirati Beirut visit An Emirati business delegation signed the agreements in Beirut and met with President Joseph Aoun, indicating the UAE's interest in deepening economic ties with Lebanon. Lebanon
Newsletter: Business & Tech Iran keeps Hormuz reopening on hold By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Newsletter: Daily Briefing US lifts Syria's terror designation By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Amos Hochstein arrives in Lebanon as Hezbollah-Israel escalation threatens war Hochstein’s visit comes as the US seeks an end to the fighting along the Lebanese-Israeli border in parallel with a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. Lebanon
Lebanon: Suspected Hezbollah-UNIFIL clashes amid Israel border escalation The incident, which is not uncommon, comes at a time of heightened Israeli-Hezbollah tensions and growing fears of an all-out war. Lebanon
Meet Farah Dakhlallah, NATO's first spokesperson of Arab descent A British-Lebanese citizen, Dakhlallah will make history this Friday as NATO's first spokesperson from the region, which could boost the alliance's outreach to the Arab-speaking world. Lebanon
Ex-Israeli military intel chief: Hamas split, Netanyahu govt derail Gaza deal Former intelligence chief Tamir Hayman believes that a Gaza cease-fire could open opportunities for normalization with Saudi Arabia. Israel
Israel strikes deeper, hits Lebanon's Baalbek in first since 2006 war The strikes were the deepest inside Lebanese territory since border clashes between Israel and Hezbollah began nearly five months ago. Lebanon
Why Saad Hariri return to politics in Lebanon is still unlikely Saad Hariri’s brief return to Lebanon this month fueled speculation that he might be eying a return to politics, but experts see it as far-fetched in current dynamics. Lebanon
Sen. Coons to visit Lebanon amid Israel-Hezbollah clashes, leadership crisis Democratic Senator Chris Coons is headed for Beirut in what some observers comment is a show of US support for Lebanon at a time of ongoing crisis. Lebanon
Nearly 1,000 buildings in Tripoli, Lebanon are at risk of collapse: Amnesty Amnesty International has denounced the local Tripoli government’s lack of action to protect residents who have been living in unsafe buildings since last year’s earthquake. Lebanon
Israel strikes near Sidon in serious Lebanon escalation The latest strikes hit an area some 30 kilometers from the Israel-Lebanon border, where Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in tit-for-tat exchanges since last October. Lebanon
In south Lebanon, schools resume classes as displaced shelter inside Hezbollah steps in as municipalities struggle to respond to the growing number of displaced. Lebanon
Israel, Hezbollah cling to deterrence to avoid escalation Most experts doubt an expansion of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict on the Lebanon-Israel border, but events on another border could change that. Lebanon
Hezbollah says Israel will pay in ‘blood’ as cross-border fighting intensifies The fire exchanges that have been ongoing between Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Israel since October have intensified this week, raising fears of a full-blown conflict. Lebanon